Cathy made her way down the tower steps behind Hex. They darted into a long passageway.

"It's this way," Hex whispered. "I'll go on ahead and make sure the coast is clear."

"Ok," Cathy whispered back.

Hex weaved his way from doorway to doorway, checking every nook and cranny, before gesturing for her to follow him.

The passageway ended with another set of stairs. Below the stairs was a long drop into a black abyss.

"I think I may throw up," Cathy muttered.

"Look up," Hex ordered, grabbing her hand. "You'll be fine if you stay close to the wall."

"I don't do well with heights." Cathy closed her eyes and squeezed Hex's hand.

"I won't let you fall," he said, squeezing her hand in return, and adding, "Good servants are hard to find."

They climbed down the stairs with their backs pressed against the wall.

When they reached the floor, they stopped in front of a wooden door with heavy iron hinges and a huge lock.

Hex rattled the door. "It's locked," he said, his forehead creased with worry.

"What do we do now?" Cathy asked.

Hex let go of Cathy's hand and pulled the gold key from his pocket. He placed the key in the lock, and it turned. The door swung open.

"Magic, Pet. That's what we do. My skeleton key will open any lock, anywhere." Hex smirked as he disappeared into the gloom.

"Jerk," Cathy whispered under her breath.

Beyond the door were drains that smelt like rotten eggs and cow dung.

"Can't we use the front door?" Cathy whined, holding her nose.

"Try. It'll be a fabulous distraction so I can escape," Hex sniped.

"Funny."

Cathy followed Hex into the tunnels.

They waded through the knee-deep sewage as rats scurried everywhere. Cathy couldn't see where she was stepping and something crunched under her boot.

"What was that?" she asked.

In Hex's palm, a bright silver flame flickered, and he waved the light above the water. Something white shimmered below the surface.

"Is that what I think it is?" Cathy asked, dreading the answer.

"Bones." Hex shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Whose bones?"

Hex looked closer. "They could be gnome, possibly goblin... or an unusually small pixie."

"How horrible."

"We should keep moving," Hex said, continuing on through the water. He led the way through the tunnels as though he'd done this before.

When they reached the end of the tunnel, a metal grill blocked the exit.

"Stand back," Hex ordered.

Cathy took a few steps backward as a spark of light flashed from the tip of Hex's finger. The grill fell away with a loud clatter and Hex gestured for her to follow him out of the fortress.

Glad for the fresh air, Cathy took a deep breath.

"Now our little adventure is over," he said, smiling. "Would you like to go home?"

"Home?"

"Yes. Rune Hall."

"Rune Hall is not my home."

"I give up!" Hex raised his hands to the sky. "I defeated a dragon, I waded through sewage, I rescued you, and it's still not enough. What must I do to please you, Cathy?"

And with a click of his fingers and a flare of light, they both stood in the entrance hall of Rune Hall.

"How did you do that?" Cathy asked.

"Magic. It's always magic." Hex tutted.

"If you can transport yourself anywhere you want. Why let Prince Horace and Agnes believe you can't?"

"Because it's not smart to reveal all your gifts. You never know when they'll come in handy."

"All you had to do was click your fingers," Cathy hissed. "So why the dramatic escape... the sewers... the smell?"

"How else could I become a hero instead of a villain? I did it for you."

Cathy burned with fury. "You're not a hero... You're a... You're a..." and before she could call him a rotten pig, she hiccupped three diamonds and a ruby.

"Well, I never," he gasped, catching the glittering stones as they fell from her lips. "You're a Gem Maker."