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A simple agreement: could it really be so easy as that? Was there some catch? Would she try to bolt as soon as he did not have her under direct control? She wanted her knife; did she want to kill him, then make a run for it?
Her answer had come too quickly and easily for that. Linduial was not accustomed to lying, or so it seemed to Scyld. She had not hesitated; she seemed glad to go with him. Why, though? Rescue was at her very fingertips, and she would let him take her away! Why?
Surely she would be no match for him in knives anyway. He would simply keep his own loose in their sheaths and his eye on her at all times. So after those moments of indecision, he decided to trust her just this far. “Here,” he said and passed the knife to her through the bars.
She smiled slightly. “Thank you.” Scyld nodded curtly as he then unlocked the cage and let her out. For the first time, she stood free before him. Well, free from Sorn and her cage.
Not a minute too soon, but perhaps a few too late. Upstairs, he heard someone enter the house: Sorn or Osfrid, likely. Scyld could not risk anyone coming downstairs now, nor could he take Linduial upstairs. So she at least would have to leave through the back cellar door, yet that would be dangerous. If they left that way, it would be heading out blindly as they had no way of knowing who was on the other side of the door. It could be no one or rescuers or Sorn. The best way would be for Scyld to go around and let her out, but he would have to trust her in the cellar. Well, that should not be a problem; she could open the door and walk straight into Sorn. Fear would keep her inside until Scyld let her out; he was sure of it.
He explained the plan to her: “I’ll go upstairs and out through the main house. Lock the cellar door behind me so that Osfrid at least can’t get down here. I’ll let you out through that cellar door over there.” He pointed to it. “I’ll knock once, then twice more, when it’s clear." Scyld hesitated a moment. Could he trust her with the pack? It would be entirely suspicious if Sorn or anyone else saw him with it and he would have difficulty explaining it. "I'm leaving the pack here with you, too, and I'll get that when I let you out. After that…” He shrugged. “It’s all touch and go.”
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