When Heinrich smashes the skull, a wisp of reddish smoke escapes from inside it, and there is a brief, despairing wail - the sound seems to come from inside the skull, but at the same time it seems to come from very far away. The pieces sink without trace into the sewer water, while the candles bob around on the surface.
Max sways on his feet, and nearly falls. "I'm so tired," he says, "can you help me walk back, Klaus?" He puts his arm around Klaus's shoulder, practically hanging off him. It's just as well he doesn't weigh much... Klaus will have to support him on the walk back though the sewer.
The four of them set off for the manhole they entered by, Julian leading the way. To take his mind off his annoyance at Heinrich's destruction of important evidence, he studies the stonework of the sewer passages as he walks. The sewer is a fine example of dwarfish work, but it's clear that its human owners have neglected to maintain it. He spots several places where immediate repairs are needed to prevent further deterioration, and makes a mental note of their locations.
The candlesticks clink noisily against each other in Heinrich's makeshift loot bag, but the noise doesn't attract any attention. The group reach the manhole cover without incident. Max has to be practically hauled up the ladder. Back on the surface, they find that it is now very late: probably close to midnight. It's too late to contact any officials now, since they will all be in their beds. Klaus leads them to the Crossed Pikes, where Mortus is waiting for them. She tells them that there is a room booked for the four of them at the Surprised Goat inn, not far across town. Max is half asleep already, and his friends left the Crossed Pikes a while ago, so Klaus will have to take him to to the inn with the group. He can sleep on the floor.
Julian suddenly realizes that the Crossed Pikes tavern is the building directly over the guarded cellar full of (probably) stolen goods that he and Heinrich found in the sewer...
