Okay. So I was desperate. In a crisis, I’ll try anything, however stupid. Fortunately, this stupid idea worked!
Our upward progress slowed to a halt with me hanging at eye-level with the cell’s dragon mouth.
Trying not to show my relief, I raised my voice.
“Hey, Aahz! When are visiting hours?”
For a moment there was no response, and I had a sudden fear that we were hanging a hundred feet in the air outside an empty cell. Then my partner’s unmistakable countenance appeared in the window.
“Skeeve?” he said in a skeptical voice. “Skeeve! What are you doing out there?”
“Oh, we were just in the neighborhood and thought we’d drop in,” I replied in my best nonchalant voice. “Heard you were in a bit of trouble and thought we’d better get you out before it got serious.”
“Who’s we?” my partner demanded, then he focused on my assistants. “Oh no! Those two? Where are Tananda and Chumley? C’mon, Skeeve. I need a rescue team and you bring me a circus act!”
“It’s the best I could do on short notice,” I shot back, slightly annoyed. “Tananda and Chumley aren’t back from their own work yet, but I left a message for them to catch up with us if they could. Of course, I’m not sure how much help they’ll be. In case you’re wondering why I’m being carried by my apprentice instead of flying free, this particular dimension is exceptionally low on force lines to tap in to. If anything, I think I’m pretty lucky that I brought ‘these two’ along instead of ending up with a whole team of for-real magicians who are too proud to use gimmicks. It’s thanks to ‘these two’ that I made it this far at all. Now, do you want our help, or do you want to wait for the next team to float past? I mean, you’re in no rush, are you?”