short story, story promptGrace finds out that the city guards are rounding up anyone with magical abilities. Worried about what would happen if her two friends were taken, she decides to hide them instead. But can she fool the guards?


 

Grace burst into the room, panting. Startled, Skyie and Tomas looked at her with wide eyes. She slammed the door closed behind her, bolting it.

“You two have to hide!” Grace told them through heavy breaths. “The city guards are searching the whole town for anyone with even a smidgeon of magic in their veins. I heard from one of the shop owners that they are all being taken to the docks and forced onto ships.”

Tomas frowned. “What for?”

Skyie got to her feet, her hands trembling. “Is it because of the magical attack on the Princess?”

Shrugging, Grace rushed to the other side of the room and grabbed a corner of the patterned rug. Pulling it aside, she revealed a small trapdoor in the floor. “I don’t know why they’re doing it, but I’m positive that nothing good is going to happen to all those people. You need to hide.”

Tomas took Skyie’s hand. “It’ll be okay,” he murmured. “Grace will help us.”

“I don’t want you to get into trouble because of us, Grace,” Skyie said.

“I’ll be fine.” She tugged on the trapdoor, revealing a dark space beneath with wooden steps leading into it. “You two have done so much for me. This is the least I can do. When all the fuss dies down, we’ll decide what to do next.”

Someone pounded on the front door. “Open up, in the name of the king!”

“Get down there, now!” she hissed. “Don’t make a sound.” Replacing the rug over the trapdoor, she hurried back across the room. The pounding fist came again. Unbolting the door, she opened it wide and smiled at the uniformed man outside.

“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting! I was up on the second floor. What can I do for you?”

The guard nodded to her. She didn’t miss the fact that his gaze lingered on her well-endowed chest. Men were always so predictable. She moved so that she was leaning seductively against the door and fluttered her eyelashes at him. Heat crept into his eyes.

“I, uh, we’re looking for anyone with magical talents,” he told her, licking his lips. “We had information that two such people live here.”

“Oh, you mean Tomas and Skyie?” Grace leaned forward a little, making her cleavage more pronounced. “I’m sorry, you just missed them. They heard about the ships and have already left to get on board.”

The man blinked heavily. He was having a lot of trouble focusing on her face. “I see. That’s … good to hear.”

After a moment of silence, she smiled at him. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“Oh, uh.” He swallowed. “No, that’s all, miss. Thank you for your breas— I mean, thanks for your cooperation!” Red-faced, the man turned abruptly and marched away.

Grace closed the door and re-bolted it to be safe. “He didn’t even ask to search the house,” she said to herself. “Honestly, these men are always the same. Show them some cleavage and they’ll do whatever I want.”

She pulled the carpet away from the trapdoor and let the two young mages out. “We need to get you two out of town before they realise you aren’t on those ships.”


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