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“I guess I’m still a bit dizzy,” Alex admitted sheepishly. “These heels aren’t helping, either. Would you please help me up?”

Quinn hesitated for a moment before he lowered his Stabiliser and reached for Alex with his free hand. She latched on and yanked him closer, causing him to overbalance and stumble forward. It was the perfect position for her to shove the pillow into his startled face.

“What—”

His eyes glazed over before he could manage a second muffled word, but she kept the pillow pressed against his face for a few more moments to be sure he was mentally out of it.

“Ally, what are you—”

Alex didn’t pause to think as she grabbed Quinn’s fallen Stabiliser and aimed it at Sir Oswald, pulling the trigger. A blast of light hit him in the chest and he crumpled to the floor where, if Kaiden was right, he would remain unconscious for the next ten minutes.

She stared in shock at what she’d done, but she didn’t have the chance to feel guilty because Quinn chose that moment to collapse on top of her. The increased contact with the relaxant had not just sedated him, it seemed to have knocked him unconscious. Alex grunted with the strain of his weight and slid him off her and onto the floor. She then stood and moved over to the doorway to drag Sir Oswald into the bathroom so that he lay beside his guard.

“Skyla? Are you in here?” Alex called.

The door to the toilet opened and a white-faced Skyla stumbled out.

“Do you know how many bathrooms there are on this floor?” she asked hysterically. “Five. Five bathrooms! It’s a goodthing no one picked up your powder brush, because otherwise I never would have known where to meet you!”

“You did great, Skyla,” Alex said. “But we have to hurry before they wake up or someone comes looking for them. We don’t have much time.”

“All right, all right,” Skyla huffed. “You get his clothes.”

Alex grimaced as she removed Sir Oswald’s jacket, tie, vest, dress shirt, trousers and shoes. She left him in his underclothes, but she still felt uncomfortable at having to undress him at all.

“Here.” She handed the clothes to Skyla who transformed so quickly that Alex blinked and said, “Whoa. That was fast.”

Standing in front of her was a perfect replica of Sir Oswald, only he was wearing a pale yellow evening gown that was almost bursting at the seams.

“Some people are easier to imitate than others,” Skyla said, her voice an exact copy of Sir Oswald’s.

“That’s disturbing,” Alex mumbled and she turned her back so Skyla could change into the man’s clothing.

“I’m ready,” Skyla said when she was done.

“I’m not sure about Quinn,” Alex said, sliding the Stabiliser under Skyla’s jacket so that it was hidden from sight, “but we don’t have much time before Sir Oswald wakes up, so we have to move.”

Neither of them knew where they should go but they figured downwards was the best direction, so they descended a stairway at the opposite end of the hallway, which took them to the ground floor of the mansion.

“What now?” Skyla asked.

“Now you need to ask for assistance.”

Alex explained what she had in mind, and once she was sure Skyla understood her plan, she latched onto the arm of ‘Sir Oswald’ and started fake-giggling. Skyla led them to the entryof the mansion where they caught the attention of the guards standing outside by the doors.

“You, there,” Skyla called, and both guards stepped back into the building with alert expressions.

“Sir Oswald?” said the guard on the left. “Is there something you need?”

“This lovely young woman desires to see the juggler perform an act,” Skyla told him, her much deeper voice slurring deliberately. “I’ve had a wee bit too much to drink and I’m afraid I’m a little unsteady on my feet. Will one of you escort us to see my prisoner?”

The guards looked at each other before turning back to their employer.

“Sir, you’ve ordered that he receive no visitors,” the same guard said.

“Well, I’m un-ordering it,” Skyla snapped. “Now, take us there at once before my other guests wish to see the juggler as well. We’re sneaking away as it is.”

“As you wish, Sir Oswald.”