Anna frantically started cleaning and getting rid of evidence.

Evidence of Lucy every being here.

Evidence of Lucy ever existing.

She grabbed all of Lucy's clothes and stuffed them into an old suitcase. Then, she took the suitcase downstairs - to the library. Anna pushed a specific book - Daybreak - into the wall, causing the bookshelf to turn 180 degrees and a door to appear.

Anna pushed open the door and threw the suitcase inside it. They would never find the suitcase here.

At least, she hoped they wouldn't.

If they did, there was no question.

She would die.

'Oh well,' Anna thought to herself. 'Why bother living, if you can't help your sister and her daughter in a time of need?'

Anna exited the room and closed the door. She then pressed a button which caused the door to turn 180 degrees and the bookshelf to reappear.

Everything looked normal.

Everything was normal.

And then, there was a knock on the door.

Lucy looked up at the white, fluffy clouds floating in the pale blue sky.

She smiled to herself.

Today was the first day her aunt decided to let Lucy go out alone. Well, let Lucy go out in general. Ever since Lucy's mom died, Anna has been very careful about what Lucy does.

Anna is a nice auntie - even if she's scary.

'I'll tell her that I love her when I get back' Lucy thought to herself.

Lucy began to hum to herself as she skipped along the path. The trees provided her with some shade and there was a small, soothing wind blowing. The birds were all chirping happily and because of that, Lucy felt happy too.

The world was happy today.

Lucy was happy today.

But she felt herself go cold when she heard a voice.

"Hey sweetie," he crooned. "You look lost..."

Lucy turned around slowly, to meet a tall guy standing behind her. There was a guy behind him, looking at Lucy with no particular expression.

"Do you want us to drop you home?" The tall guy asked, again. He had a smirk on his face.

And Lucy knew.

Knew that he was a demon.

So she took off, without even glancing behind her.

Anna fixed her hair before she opened the door.

There were two people outside. One woman and one man. The woman had short black hair with a few dyed white strands and yellow eyes. The man next to her had blond hair that looked like whipped cream and blue eyes.

Anna gulped.

They were from the council of nymphs. Mary Hughes and Sugarboy.

Anna plastered a fake smile across her face.

"Oh! What a pleasant surprise! Come on in, Mary and Sugarboy."

Sugarboy smiled and accepted the invitation, walking into Anna's house.

Mary Hughes scrunched her nose as she entered the house - her eyes scanning the room.

Anna made them sit on the couch and went to the kitchen. She came back with water and some biscuits.

"So..." Anna started as she sat down. "Any particular reason for your visit? Don't get me wrong, I love it when you visit but just curious."

"Don't lie Anna." Mary Hughes replied, coldly.

Anna gave her a look of disbelief.

"You never like it when we're here." Mary Hughes continued. "And we know it. So, why bother?"

"C'mon Mary Hughes!" Sugarboy said, cheerfully. "Be nice!"

Mary Hughes sighed.

"Let's just get this over with."

Mary Hughes and Sugarboy stood up, placing down the glasses of water. They hadn't taken one sip or had a bite of the biscuits. Of course, they didn't - they are not allowed to eat or drink when they're out on a job.

And this was a job.

"Anna," Mary Hughes started, her voice never wavering.

"We've got some information..."

Anna felt herself go cold.

'So they know?'

"That your niece is alive."

"My who?" Anna asked, pretending to not hear properly.

"Your niece." Mary Hughes gritted her teeth. "Or perhaps you'd prefer Layla's daughter."

She said Layla with disgust. As if Anna's sister was a beast - a demon.

She wasn't. Layla was the kindest person in the world. But, she made a mistake.

A mistake that cost her, her life.

And now, Lucy's - if Anna wasn't careful.

Anna took in a breath before replying. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb with me." Mary Hughes snarled and took a step forward. Anna stood her ground. Mary Hughes wouldn't - couldn't - hurt her. Anna was a nymph, after all. A powerful nymph at that.

"I have never heard about this..." Anna tried to look disgusted. "...Niece of mine..."

Sugarboy and Mary Hughes studied her body, trying to figure out if she was lying.

"Besides," Anna continued, looking both of them in the eye. "If she is a child of my traitorous sister, then she must be terrible too. I shall be sure to hand them over to you two if she comes my way."

"I see," Sugarboy said, and headed towards the door, dragging a reluctant Mary Hughes behind him.

He opened the door and stepped outside.

"Remember this Anna," Mary Hughes whispered before Anna closed the door.

"If we find out she did indeed stay with you, then, well, I don't need to tell you what happens, do I?"

And Anna closed the door.

"Hey! Wait up!" The tall man yelled, amusement evident in his voice.

Lucy didn't turn around. Instead, she kept running, keeping to the path and determined to get to Loke-nii's house.

Lucy's legs began to throb but she couldn't stop. She could hear the men's footsteps behind her. They weren't running, they were walking. Taking their own time to catch up with Lucy. It was frustrating.

Lucy sharply turned a corner, towards Loke-nii's house. Doing so, a bunch of birds resting on the ground started flying, scared of the intruder. This caused Lucy to stop for a second.

Big mistake.

Before Lucy could yell out, the man grabbed her forearm, smirking evilly.

"LET ME GO!" Lucy yelled and kicked him below the knee. He loosened his grip a bit. Lucy pulled out of his grip and began to run.

She didn't get far.

The second man had grabbed her by the hair.

"You suck at this." He said to his colleague who was crouching on his knees. The kick was a hard one.

"I don't want to hear that from you!" The tall man sneered.

Lucy was struggling against the shorter man, punching him and trying to wry open his hands that had forcefully grabbed her hair.

"Stop." The man who held Lucy said to Lucy. Lucy didn't listen. She continued her futile efforts.

"I SAID STOP!" he yelled before removing his hand from her hair and slapping her hard across the cheek.

The force was so strong, that it caused Lucy to fall.

She hit her head on a rock.

And everything went black.