Lucy wondered if there were more villagers she couldn't see. If she approached, would the King try to use them as shields... Or worse yet, kill them? The thought scared her.
Yet the King was leering at one of the women serving him drinks... Lucy's fists clenched. If only no one was held hostage in that inn to begin with!
"Oh, well, of course!" Lucy wasn't sure why she didn't think of it earlier. She pointed at the inn, thought for a moment about how to word this, and said, "Send hostages home!"
In the blink of an eye, the villagers vanished, and shouts of joy and relief could be heard from other houses. Lucy smiled when she heard a small child shout, "Mama! You're okay!"
"What in the ABYSS just happened here?!" The King of Rogues bellowed, "They're all gone! My footstool! My future brides!
The... the GUARDS! Where are they?!"
Lucy glared down at the inn. She remembered tales she heard as a small gi- ahem, small BOY, she reminded herself- and this was the part where the good guy foiled the bad guy. How to strike the King of Rogues when he was immune to magic?
