Snow fell heavily outside the Castle late that night. The howling wind kept Aisling on edge as she waited by the fire. At the slightest unfamiliar sound, she sprang from the sofa where she had been resting with her eyes closed. But the person she was waiting for still had not returned, and her unease only grew.
"It's so late. Why aren't you asleep?"
A teasing voice sounded without warning from the darkness in a corner of the Castle, startling Aisling as she slumped on the sofa.
Aisling had drunk plenty at dinner, and her head was far from clear. The moment she saw Roy, she leaped up, rushed over, and threw her arms around him.
"You've had too much again. Drinking never does you any good. I bet you'll regret every glass in the morning."
Roy, whose shoulders were still dusted with snow, merely smiled at her embrace and made the offhand remark. Aisling was not so drunk that she missed the teasing. She promptly let go, tucked her hands behind her back with a blush, and groggily asked how the operation had gone.
"Don't worry. It's all done. Here, take this and keep it safe. The top button sets off the fireworks in the conference room. The bottom one detonates the bombs that'll breach the wall. Remember to protect yourself. Once you set off the fireworks, watch out for the smoke. I added a sedative to it, so don't let it knock any of you out."
Holding out the two-in-one detonator, Roy pointed out its controls and went over the key steps for tomorrow. Aisling studied his face, barely visible in the faint firelight, and gave him a tipsy smile. She snatched the detonator from his hand, turned away, and disappeared into the darkness with a wave.
"All