Edward reacted quickly, knocking the fearful man unconscious just as the door opened.
"What was that noise?" the first guard who entered asked.
Edward looked at the guards with a calm, steady gaze. "This man was having a nightmare. He suddenly spoke in his sleep and bit my hand," Edward answered.
The guards were not easily fooled. They scanned the room. The other men looked scared, but that wasn't unusual. They counted the prisoners. Seeing that the number was complete, they turned around and left.
This time, they made sure to lock the door.
"You… how did you get back?" the man next to Edward asked in shock.
"I came back to ask who is willing to escape with me. Three men from the other rooms followed me. I can guarantee that the path from here to the storeroom is safe. We need more people if we want our plan to succeed," Edward explained. He then showed the old man, who had expressed interest earlier, the sword he had taken from one of the guards.
