D2 Return to Find Duke
Mira watched the other ducks climb to the third level and disappear down the hall. The inside of the castle seemed to grow darker with each passing second. It wasn't too late. She could run up those stairs to the east wing and crawl in bed to wait for the morning.
No, Mira thought as she took a deep breath. I'm going to get some answers tonight. Everything seemed quiet and still as she turned around and walked back into the dining hall. The only noise was the crackling of the fire in the hearth, but as Mira entered, she saw that Duke was standing against the east wall of the room.
His back was towards her, and he didn't seem to have noticed her return. Mira walked closer and stretched out her hand towards his shoulder. He tensed and whirled around, almost knocking her back defensively.
"What are you still doin' down here?" he asked in surprise. "You should be hiding upstairs."
Mira steadied herself as she returned his gaze.
"Hiding from what?"
Duke shook his head.
"Just get outta here, kid, before… Look, I won't be able to protect you."
"I'm not asking you to," Mira said.
The light outside suddenly seemed to slip away, and Duke turned towards the glass doors with a look of dread.
"Be careful," he said as he faced Mira again, and there was such sorrow in his eyes that she felt a sudden pain in her heart.
Mira started to answer, but she couldn't… due to the shock of what she saw.
As the darkness grew outside, Duke's form seemed to fade. His figure grew dim and shady as if it had no substance to it. And then as if a wind blew through the room, his darkened form was cast to the wall until he became a mere shadow in the firelight.
"Duke!" Mira called as she stretched out her hand to the wall, but she could feel nothing except the cold surface of the marble.
His shadow raised his hand to his beak as if to quiet her, and in that moment, Mira heard a loud cry of anger from the garden. And like a cold breeze, a sudden understanding gripped her.
"That monster that roams outside at night," she realized in a whisper. "Is it…Grin?"
The shadow nodded and seemed to be directing her to hide. Mira heard more noises echoing from outside the castle, and part of her wanted very much to go and hide.
"But what good does that do?" she insisted. "No, I have to figure this out."
If Mira should go outside and try to find Grin, select D2 Go to the Garden.
If she should go upstairs and look for Wildwing and the others, select D2 Go Upstairs.