That night, the sisters were talking in a low voice. Although, Esmeralda was outside the house doing some personal errands, still, Ivy was cautious of someone hearing their conversation because Kate had told her that the tree is magical, it can hear and talk, and can also wield magic.

It would be shocking to see the tree standing tall listening to their conversation outside the door.

"Kate, I can only stay here for ten days. I have to go back to the vampires' place after nine days. You have to come with me. We should stick together!" she urged her.

Kate's eyes widened. "Huh? I can't go back to that parasite infested there vampires' domain. I don't like those bloodthirsty suckers!" she refused vehemently.

Ivy was feeling frustrated every minute. It's only her first day here and Kate was already showing signs of going against her plans. She started sighing. "You have to go with me. Maxwell assured me that he can help us get out of this castle and we will regain our freedom back," she continues convincing her.

"B-but, sister, you heard it from Esmeralda's mouth. There is no escape from this castle, even she, the most powerful among the inhabitants of this castle, she can't do anything to save herself from death. She can't escape this castle, she will burn into ashes if she will try escaping!" Kate argued.

Ivy shut off her eyes for a few seconds, convincing her hardheaded sister is frustrating. It's like trying to bend solid steel with just her mere words. "But the vampires are also powerful beings. They have the means and ways to escape this place. Maxwell already swore to me that he will grant us freedom! That is why you must come with me before the ten days is over. After ten days, I can no longer come back here. I only have nine days to convince you. You must come with me, sister, so that we can be together. I don't like us getting separated! We are in dangerous territory, we should stay together!" she reasoned out.

Kate pouted. "I don't trust the vampires! I trust granny Esmeralda the most. If she said that there's no way out of this castle that means she is telling the truth. Those evil vampire brothers were just dreaming, they are just trying to deceive you!"

Ugh! Ivy lamented. How to convince her sister, eh? If Kate keeps acting this way, her ten days will be over soon and she will fail on her mission big time, and she's going to die!

She doesn't want to give Kate the poison...she's afraid of doing it to her sister.

She must find a way how to convince her sister to come with her back to the vampire's dwellings.

Kate stared at her sibling's serious face. "Sis, please, I beg you, don't go back to that bloodsucking vampires! Stay with me here with Granny, we are safe here," she said confidently.

Ivy sighed heavily and looked at her sister's face sadly. "Kate, you must understand that as your older sister I have the right to decide for us. I know what is the right path to choose. Believe me, I only want what's best for us. Just follow my lead so that we can get out of this castle, soon!"

Kate scratches her head in confusion and distress. "I...I...dunno know what to do...sister! My heart tells me that we should stay here on Granny's side because she treated me right, she had a good heart."

Ivy grabbed her sister's hands. "Sis, listen to me. It's not about who is good and who is bad here, we are not talking about that. We are talking about getting out of the castle and regaining our freedom back!

You heard clearly that Granny Esmeralda says there is no escape from this castle, only death. But Maxwell told me the opposite thing, he told me that there is a way how to escape from this castle and I believe him.

We should not give up our chances and just accept our fate waiting for our death here inside the castle. We should find ways how to escape!" her words came pouring in like the water that flows in the river. "Why? You don't miss Ella and Aunt Margie? You don't miss our village? Do you no longer have any plans to return there? You just accept that we will die here without trying everything?" Ivy pressed on.

Kate was shaking her head and groaning. "Sister, there's no way out from here! Open your eyes! Stop dreaming!"

Ivy released a deep sigh, truly dismayed by her sister's negative beliefs. Kate is just like her Granny Esmeralda, they don't believe that there is a way to escape from the castle. Deep inside her heart, she believes there's a way how to get out of the castle alive.

She believed in Maxwell's words that his father can bring them out of the castle. Unfortunately, she can't tell Kate about it, she will tell her after they return to the vampires' enclave.

"Look, I have no words against Granny. Just that...she seemed to be hopeless and accepting her fate here inside the castle, there must be a way out of here!" she said with a firm persistence.

Kate was shaking her head. "Sister, let's stop arguing over this matter. I know that you believe that there is a way out of here while I also believe that this castle will be our cemetery one day. No one will win, only time can tell if one of us is right, we will only keep arguing and fighting for one thing that not one of us can prove yet. I have to tell you that no one can persuade me to go back to that bloodsucking vampires! I detested them so much!" she said furiously.

Ivy was getting frustrated. "Kate, why are you being stubborn? Just believe me once, I'm your sister! I know what's best for us!" she pleaded in a tired voice.

Kate chose to stay silent, she was feeling sad, it seemed her sister was already deceived by the vampires, making her believe in illusions and fantasy of escaping the castle one day. She pitied her older sister so much. But she can't blame her!

The door suddenly opened...

Esmeralda entered the door smiling at the two women. "Guys, your voices are too loud! Are you arguing?" she asked them, staring at their faces with open curiosity.

Both Kate and Ivy shook their heads at the same time.

"Nah, we're just talking, Granny! Back home, we talk and debate like this, nothing serious," Kate explained with a controlled smile.

Esmeralda shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, as you say so," she walked towards her room. She paused at the door and looked at the siblings. "Girls, get ready, I will bring you somewhere..." she informed them casually.

"To w-where...Granny?" asked Kate in bewilderment.

"I'll take you somewhere to see the invisible barrier...so that you will have an idea what it looks like," Esmeralda replied and opened the door, she disappeared inside the room.

Kate and Ivy's face widened, both in shock and excitement.