Free The Gorgon's Blood Solution by Jeffrey Quyle Page B

began to cut the ropes in the back of her ankles.
    “Don’t leave me.  Please set me free,” Angelica repeated.
    Marco said nothing.  He kept vigorously sawing away at the back of the ropes at the girl’s feet.  He switched hands after several minutes, and gave a small cheer a minute later as the last fibers were broken.
    “Don’t move yet,” he whispered as he moved back up to Angelica’s torso.   He checked on the sorcerer; the man was standing closer to them, but facing away, watching a small battle take place on the dock as the Corsair’s rear guard fended off a group of townspeople who were on the attack.  If the city was fighting back, then the Corsairs wouldn’t be able to continue pillaging much longer, Marco suspected; he needed to get the girls to safety quickly.
    Carefully, he stretched himself over Angelica and began to cut at the ropes on her wrists, his face just inches from hers as he vigorously sawed.  He switched hands to maintain the force of the cut, then switched again, and saw quickening progress as he reached the soft core of the rope, and the fibers parted with relative ease.
    “As soon as we finish, you roll over and we’ll climb down under the pier,” Marco breathed to Angelica.  “There’s a hiding place down there that should be safe.”
    “Can’t you get us off the pier, up to the castle or someplace safe?” Angelica whispered back.
    Marco felt the last fibers part; and the sorcerer was turned away still.  He backed away from the girl and towards the edge of the pier, so that his feet immediately hung over the edge.
    “Roll down here; follow me,” he said, as he dangled his feet down.  He felt the servant girl grab them and guide them directly to the beam, making his descent easier.  “Here!  Quickly!” he urged Angelica.  “Just roll!” he warned her as she started to rise up to a sitting position.
    She glanced down at him, startled by the urgency in his voice, then slid down to the edge of the pier, and allowed him to guide her over the edge.  As she lowered her head, he heard the tread of footsteps approaching.
    “Hurry!” he urged, panic rising.  “Follow me!  Stay on the beams and watch your footing!” he warned, then awkwardly brushed past the nameless servant girl and began to lead the two freed captives under the pier towards his cubby.  There was a short barked phrase, and then a murmuring voice near where the two girls had previously laid, and Marco worried that the sorcerer had detected the disappearance of the captives, though how he could miss two girls when there were so many others was difficult for Macro to fathom.
    There was a sudden flash of light behind them, making Angelica give a startled squeak, but Marco kept on moving as quickly as he could, then dropped down a level to just above the water to reduce their visibility further; he stopped there to listen for pursuit, but heard none.  He began to lead again, and so led the two girls back to the blanketed doorway a minute later.
    He struck the flint and steel to light the lamp, then ushered the girls into the room.
    “What is this place?  Who are you?  Are we safe?” Angelica burst out the soft-voiced questions.
    “You’re the boy from the alchemist shop,” the servant said.  “Thank you for rescuing us.
    “I thought we were on our way to a horrible fate,” she said, and Angelica shuddered.
    “Your name is Marco,” she added.  “I heard the alchemist call you that,” she told the other two as they both looked at her in surprise.
    “Are we safe here?” Angelica repeated. 
    “If we stay quiet, and don’t let any light escape out the doorway, I don’t think they can find us,” Marco said reassuringly.
    “What’s happening?  Why are you here?” the servant asked.
    “This is my room,” Marco stammered.  “I come here to relax, or sleep.  I came here tonight, and then the Corsairs came, and I had to stay – there was no getting away.”
    “Why weren’t you