To her dismay, Joan was led to a holding cell and locked inside. All around, other cells lined the walls of a single ovular cavern, making it resemble a giant honeycomb. Once the door was secured, the guard rested a hand on his manacle. The metal glowed for a moment before it opened on an invisible hinge along its length. With a click, he locked it onto a rail beside the cell.
After he left, Joan experimentally reached through the bars of her cell towards the manacle. As expected, she could not bring herself to touch it. She sighed. It had been worth a shot. Rubbing the manacle around her own wrist, she had to admire its effectiveness.
The mermaid waited in her cell for a long time. Guessing that hours had passed, she wondered if it was 4 o'clock, yet. Suddenly, a shadow crossing the entrance made her look up.
