Chapter 33: Thieves
"How did you even make it in without getting caught?" Soleia asked as they reached the winding staircase at the end of the tunnel.
The wooden steps were small and uneven, and mold and moss had grown over them to create a slimy, slippery layer. Soleia held onto the railings with one hand, clutching for her dear life as she attempted to maneuver up without slipping and falling to her death.
On the other hand, Ralph was much more nimble. He walked up quickly and only stopped once in a while to wait for Soleia to catch up.
"It was easy to sneak past the old crook," Ralph said with a shrug. "She can barely see past her fingers and quite frankly, I am wondering if she can even hear properly at all."
Soleia wrinkled her nose. She knew for one thing that wasn’t true. After all, the old woman could easily see who she was under the hood, as well as the fact that she was wearing a pair of selenite earrings, otherwise hidden by both the hood and Soleia’s long hair.
However, Soleia didn’t bother thinking too hard about how Ralph entered the underground passages. She was more worried about how they could leave.
There was a hatch above their heads at the top of the stairs. Ralph was in front, and he gave Soleia a look as he placed his hand on the door, to which the latter nodded once in affirmation. He pushed the door open, and the hinges creaked as it moved to reveal a small slit which Ralph used to peer into the store.
Once he was sure there was no one else present in the backroom, he fully opened the hatch and climbed out before reaching in to help Soleia out.
"Grab my hand," he said, offering his hand for Soleia to hold, but the latter merely stared at Ralph’s outstretched hand hesitantly.