461 5 Seconds Rule

"We're going to land just outside of the Amara clan…" Saavi navigated the shuttle to drop two hundred meters outside the Amara clan estate.

"En." Celaena buckled her seatbelt as they approach their landing point.

"As soon as we land, we need to get inside the estate undetected." Saavi went over the plan.

"Okay, I can stop the guards from sees us, but if I need to stop time in a bigger area later on. I rather not waste too much of my energy now." Celaena stated.

"Don't worry about that. I have lived in that estate for the majority of my life. Plus, I was Mika's personal maid. You think we did have our ways of sneaking in and out of the clan unnoticed." Saavi smirked Celaena's way as she remembered all the times, Mikaela would suggest they sneak out of the estate for some fun. "I just warning you of the task we have ahead."

"No problem. I'm ready."

"Okay."

Landing the shuttle smoothly, Saavi and Celaena chose to pack lightly before making their way towards the gate of the estate.

When Saavi could see the top of the clan's wall, she pulled Celaena over to hide behind some brushes.

"Wha-What? What wrong?" Celaena questioned as Saavi made her duck down.

"The guards at the gate are not the Amara clan household soldiers…" She pointed to the guards standing in front of the gate.

"How do you know?" Celaena watched the ten guards at the gate.

"I told you, I have lived there for most of my life...I learn to recognize the majority of the household soldiers' faces."

"You never know they could have hire new people." Celaena speculated.

"No, the household soldiers come from the branch families members. Unless, there are new branch families that it not possible. Besides, their uniforms don't match the Amara clan uniforms... It's better to be safe as we don't know who side these people are on and want is going on inside."

"En...then what should we do now?"

"There…" Saavi pointed at a located not far from the front gate. "...There is a waterway over there where the dirty water is pushed out of the estate we can infiltrate there."

"You mean through the sewage?" A disgusted look came over Celaena's face.

"Yes." Saavi started walking off towards the small entrance.

"Um...but…"

"Hmm? What wrong?" Saavi asked after seeing Celaena hesitate.

"But it's dirty~"

"So, I'm not asking you to swim in it." Saavi shook her head and kept walking.

"I have a fear of germs." Celaena suddenly stated.

A little annoyed, Saavi turned around. "Bullshit! I've seen you eat a bag of fallen pastries off of the floor before."

"Ah-That's...that's because Mika says there is a five seconds rule before the food becomes dirty." Celaena justified her past actions.

"...Yes, there is! Mika say so as she ate them with me!"

"No, there isn't, and please don't remind me~sigh" Saavi wanted to wipe that memory from her mind. 

"No, that can't be... Wait! Is that why you walked away, acting like you didn't know us when we offered you one…" Celaena thought about it more.

"Yes." Saavi turned and continued to walk away. "Five seconds rule my ass, it took you two more than five seconds to eat those pastries off of the floor." She muttered as she led the way.

"You say something." Celaena asked as she came up beside her friend.

"No. Let's hurry up. We need to know what is going on inside before we can come up with a plan."

"En."

Making it to the side of the wall where the water waste was leaving, Saavi pushed aside a little barrier that helps keep the plants from taking over the hole.

"Here. We just need to walk through the tunnel in here for one kilometer then we will reach the entrance to the estate's waste management building. After than we can exit the tunnel…"

"...okay."

Jumping down into the sewage, Saavi and Celaena walked through the tunnel. The two females clung to the tunnel's walls as they walked at a steady pace towards the exit.

*Swoosh*

"What was that?" They both stop in their tracks as Celaena asked the question out loud.

"That is the sound of the servants emptying the waste containers…"

"...and what does that mean?"

"That means we need to run!"

Saavi took off at top speed, running down the rest of the way in the tunnel. Soon vibrations could be felt as the dirty water soaked their pants and rose to their knees.

Further ahead, drumming sound of something coming towards them could be heard.

"This way!….Hurry!" Saavi motions towards a little service niche that the servants use to maintain the tunnel.

As they ran towards the little niche in the tunnel, Celaena could finally see what was making all the noise she heard earlier. A big wave of sewage water is heading right for them.

"Come on!" Saavi stood at the niche calling out to her dazed friend.

Realizing the dangerous situation she was in, Celaena didn't waste any more time staring at the rushing water and ran for the out stretched hand.

Grabbing hold, Saavi used all her might to help pull Celaena towards safety against the raising current.

"Argh!" 

"Ah!"

They both yelled as the raging water was right upon them.

*WHOOSH!*

The sewage passed by Saavi and Celaena nearly dragging Celaena with it if Saavi hold on to her tightly enough.

They huddled to the high little niche until the water finally recessed.

"Come on. Let's go before they release it again."

"Ugh!" Jumping back down into the sewage waters, Celaena swore she is going to get Mikaela to buy her a whole new set of clothes along with a spa treatment and luxury bath oils to wash away the filth of saving her family.

It took another half a kilometer before they could even see the exit.

Kicking open the rusty door to the side of the release valve, Saavi and Celaena crawled out of the tunnel.

"What now?" 

"Now, we need to find Lady Lyra or Lord Mano." Saavi answered as she led them out of the estate's waste building and towards Lady Lyra'a courtyard.

"Okay...but first can we take a shower…"

Saavi looked back at Celaena disgruntled face and sighed. She can eat food off of the floor, but putting her feet in waste water is where she draws the line.

"...Fine."