The pale light of morning casts the jail corridor aglow in a cold pale grey light, pouring in from some unseen window further down the corridor. This bright light seeps its way weakly into the dark and gloomy jail cell, where its residents rest quietly awaiting their sentence.

Scraping claws against stone flooring hunt hopefully for bugs, or perhaps even the rare luck of missed and forgotten spilt gruel. Tempest sits with her back against the wall besides the cell door, eyes closed. One might think she’s sleeping, but her ears twitch and her eyes snap open instantly as the rats fall silent outside. She looks across the cell at Callisto, watching her with her head in a newly freed hand. At that look, she quickly slips her arms behind her back, as if the chain between the manacles were still connected, and starts rising to her feet.

A door opens accompanied by thumping footsteps. Tempest steps up to the cell door, with the quiet clinking sound of her manacles hitting each other behind her back.

The cell is plunged into darkness almost entirely, the unwelcome figure of the guard blotting out the light, and he unlocks the door.

They say nothing, but despite having half his face obscured by his helmet and chainmail, the guard’s smug expression is unmissable—a wide, leering grin plainly visible. Tempest puts on a bland face of displeasure, and allows herself to be pushed out of the cell.

Panel 1: The lighting has completely changed on this page—gone is the deep blue of nighttime, replaced with a bright, cold, grey light that seeps in through the jail cell door. Tempest sits by the door resting her eyes, and just outside the rats from before squeak to each other.

Panel 2: Tempest’s eyes open and her ears twitch—the rats have squeaked in surprise.

Panel 3: She silently looks over at Callisto.

Panel 4: Callisto looks back at her and lifts her head out of her hand in response. Though there is a manacle around her wrists, it’s clear that her chains have also been broken.

Panel 5: Callisto quickly sticks her arms behind her back with a clatter.

Panel 6: The sound of a door creaking and footsteps approaches as Tempest stands looking out the door, putting her hands together behind her back as if the manacles were never broken

Panel 7: The guard reaches the door and grins ominously down at the pair.

Panel 8: Tempest scowls back at the guard, as Callisto makes her way over to join her, a sad looking expression on her face.