As luck would have it, finally turning in my favor again, when I joined Kate for breakfast Samuel remained absent. I took the opportunity to sit next to her and whisper to her the revelations of the night before. I left out the advancement of the metal across my body, stressing to her instead our imminent freedom.

It seemed to ease her weighty melancholy, to my great relief, to the point she actually managed a smile for me.

I squeezed her hand and even hugged her then ...