Irina made a move once the sun went down, hoping the village woman could occupy the residents of the castle. Her blood should be enough to satisfy their hunger, but in case it was not, she moved quickly.

Irina put on the mantle over her dress and retrieved the key from its spot in the cabinet; blood stained the bow and crest but she ignored it, sneaking out into the empty hall.

Cautiously she walked towards the stairs, darting her eyes around the foyer as she headed to the door. No one seemed to be around, but as she snuck into the entrance hall, she heard a noise.

It sounded like footsteps; heavy footsteps and they were heading towards her.

In a panic Irina rushed through a door on her left to hide, peeking between the crease as the door on the opposite side of the entrance hall opened and Lady Dimitrescu walked out. She didn't seem to have heard Irina or noticed her for that matter and headed back into the foyer.

Irina waited, in case she was nearby.

Leaning against the door she sighed. Shame there was no easier way to go about this.

Lady Dimitrescu has been kind to her, though she knew the reason was that Mother Miranda told her to be. Even so, she made Irina's stay in her castle as comfortable as possible. Too bad there was nothing she could do to help her or the Dimitrescu daughters.

Not like she could. Despite what Miranda said, Irina knew there was no hidden power within her.

Staring at her hands, she wondered why the denizens of the woods believed that she had powers. Irina felt nothing; no magic in her veins, no strange mutations.

Did Miranda know something that she didn't?

Irina didn't want to believe so. Turning, she reached for the door, she had waited long enough, but a voice stopped her cold.

"Leaving so soon," it said – clearly masculine.

Irina leaned against the door in a panic. Was there someone else in the castle that she didn't know about?

The person laughed. "Don't be scared. I am but a lowly merchant hoping to have a word with you."

"Please, join me."

Irina walked further into the room with caution and noticed a large man in an elegant suit that seemed a bit too small for him, sitting against the wall in what appeared to be a makeshift stall with weird knickknacks and weapons lying around.

"It's been a long time," he stated.

Irina raised a brow. "No offense, but you speak as if we've met before. Shouldn't you say, it's a pleasure to meet you?"

"And a pleasure it has been," he retorted with a laugh.

"Doesn't one say it's been a long time when it has indeed been a long time?"

She hummed, standing in front of him. "Yes, but I've never met you before."

"From what you can remember," he mentioned. "You were but a child last I saw you, but since you have forgotten me, allow me to reintroduce myself. You may call me Duke."

He seemed like a man she never would have forgotten, but she must have because he seemed too nice to lie to her.

"Forgive me," Irina said with a frown.

He grinned. "No reason to apologize. I always knew that you would forget."

How so? He was a strange man.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Duke, but I'm pressed on time," she stated.

He laughed. "Of course. We shall catch up another time."

Irina doubted it, considering that he was bound to the castle and she had no plans to return.

Giving him a bow, she turned to leave, but Duke called to her again.

"Be careful not to stray too far from the ravine. The forest is crawling with wolves tonight," he mentioned.

Irina heeded his warning, sneaking from the room and to the front door. The cloth was where she placed it, shoved in the strike plate. She yanked back the door and it came open without a need for the key.

At least she had a backup.

Fleeing from the castle, Irina turned once she got onto the bridge, looking back in forgiveness. Lady Dimitrescu and her daughters deserved to be free, but there was nothing she could do to save them.

She turned her back to the castle, following the ravine into the dark woods. The moon, full and bright shined through the trees, but Irina still had a hard time seeing where she was going. The bubbling water guided her deeper and deeper into the forest with no end in sight.

Maybe this was a mistake. She didn't know for certain that the ravine will lead her to the village near the river; Irina could only assume and hope she made it out.

But further she trudged; the snow crunched beneath her feet and the silence of the forest brought goosebumps to her skin. She could hear everything; the twigs on the trees snapping beneath the pressure of the ice; the howling of wolves in the distance.

Irina convinced herself that the forest could no longer harm her, not since Mother Miranda found an interest in her.

But she was wrong.

Irina didn't feel the unbearable pain in her side until she was on the ground. The weight of something heavy was on her back, claws buried in her paper-like skin.

What was happening?

With remarkable strength, she was hoisted from the snow; her blood spurted out and painted the snow a bright red. Irina gasped, struggling to break free from whatever it was that had her in its clutches, but she couldn't.

The creature snarled in her ear, its warm breath fanned across her skin, and a scream of anguish busted from her throat as it sunk its teeth into the flesh of her arm.

It was unbearable.

Irina felt weak. Before she passed out the village woman came to mind. Her horrified face and anguished screams haunted Irina.

It was ironic. She must have looked and sounded just like the woman, pleading for someone to save her.

It was what she deserved.