[ Odd... One of the Assistant Mages had come to visit Alina and Mal too. Preferential treatment can be a greater curse than a blessing though, so while Himeka seems nice enough, she keeps that particular card close to her chest. ]

Maybe... maybe it'll just a few more hours before they get out too.

[ But Alina, despite supposedly embodying the sun, is hardly a sunny optimist. She cannot hide the fact that that outcome looks grim. ]

My supervisor was running with me. He got stuck down here after that too. It was one of the other prisoners that outed us.

[ Her face goes sour remembering it. Of course, they did attack him with a shovel but as far as Alina is concerned (and maybe Assistant Mage Jolene) he had it coming.  Not wanting to explain that, though, Alina offers a diversion in the form of a caramel candy fished out of her pocket. She subtly drops it on the table, offering it to Himeka. ]

Mal snuck some of these to me before he got locked up.

[ A lie, but hardly one of consequence. Right? ]