Leo felt as if she was underwater. Every sound, every smell dampened by her state of panic. She watched as Carsein lunged for Arwin, him writhing under the applied pressure to his neck. As Carsein’s grip drained the life from the blonde man’s body, her strength was drained in equal measure and her knees buckled under her. And although her instincts told her to run, she couldn’t move. She could only watch as he came for her.

Convinced her life was forfeit she stilled her heart and awaited the inevitable. But it didn’t come. Instead he yanked her to her feet and started dragging her toward around the mansion, getting her dressed and packing supplies. Lastly, they stopped by the kitchen were Carsein began stuffing various food items into his bags.

Then a sound.

Carsein’s head jerked in the direction of the door, confirming to Leo that she hadn’t just imagined it and her heart began racing once more. Quiet footsteps neared the closed kitchen door. With a gesture of his hand he told Leo to stand still where she was, then silent as a predator he rushed to hide behind the door.

The nob rattled and the door slid open with a creak, revealing a maid holding a candle. She jolted at the sight of Leo standing in the middle of the room alone. But before she could squeal Carsein jumped out from his hiding spot, grabbed her and put her in a choke-hold. Her feet writhed as she struggled to free herself, but his grip tightened and with a muted gurgling, her body slumped and fell to the floor.

Leo silenced a gasp and looked at Carsein in terror. Was she dead?

“She’s fine. Just unconscious” Carsein snarled as if he’d read her mind, then stepped forward to grab her arm.

“I can walk by myself” Leo whispered as determinant as she could. She was still panicked – every bone in her body was screaming with fear – but she no longer felt like she was under water. And she didn’t want to be dragged around like dead weight.

“Fine but stay close and don’t fall behind.”

Carsein had already turned around so he didn’t see her nod in confirmation, and he peered his head through the door make sure the coast was clear.

“We need to get to the side entrance in the east wing, the garden there is closest to the forest.” He glanced around one last time and then waved at Leo to follow him. As silent as they could, they dashed through the mansion hurrying toward the east wing and the exit that would take them outside.

As they neared the door, they could suddenly hear the sound of dogs barking.

“Shit. They did tie the dogs up, right?” she heard Carsein swear to himself and she swallowed. Her memory was nowhere near fully restored, but from what she knew this was the most intense experience she’d ever had besides her final night as a princess.

The door hardly made a sound as they snuck out and Carsein quickly closed it behind them, the dogs’ barking intensifying, though the source didn’t seem to be moving. Trembling she did her best to follow him as he glided through the yard but compared to his footsteps, that were soundless like an experienced hunter’s, she felt like a bull in a china shop.

Then halfway through the yard they suddenly heard a scream. It sounded to be coming from inside the mansion and it dawned on her: They had found Arwin. Carsein seemed to have come to the same conclusion, but quicker, and without warning he grabbed her arm and set into a full sprint. Stumbling she struggled to keep up, but neither her legs nor lungs seemed capable of complying. An almost inaudible growl sounded from Carsein and he glanced at her with irritation then bent down and swooped her off her feet. She was about to protest when she suddenly heard voices somewhere behind them. Servants must have come out in search of the culprits and she didn’t want to alert them to their presence, so she covered her mouth to silence any noises and surrendered to Carsein’s embrace. He was surprisingly fast. Even though he carried two bags and a woman it didn’t seem to slow him down and the terrain flashed past her eyes as they made their way through the yard and into the groves behind it; a precursor to the large forest south of the estate.

Then she noticed how the dog’s barking seemed to approach. Carsein froze and in a swift motion he put her down and placed her behind him, shielding her, drawing his sword.

Her eyes barely had time to follow as the first dog lunged from the shrubbery but hit the ground – its head separated from its body, before she could manage to blink. The next dog was slain just as fast, but number three, four and five sprung forth simultaneously and as Carsein killed the first two, the last one leaped around him and lunged for Leo. She fell to the ground, struggling to keep its fangs at bay and suddenly she felt something warm splash on her face. With a smell of rust so strong she could almost taste it the dog slumped on top of her. Carsein grabbed it and freed her and she felt her whole body shaking as he scooped her into his arms once more and started running.

Everything was happening too fast and she couldn’t wrap her head around it. Arwin wasn’t who she thought he was. All she had seen in the that moonlit hallway was a monster; one that was going to consume her. And Carsein… he had saved her, right? But he had killed Arwin with a ferocity that shook her to her core, hurt the maid without hesitation and killed the dogs with ease. She didn’t know what he wanted from her, what he was going to do once they were clear of the mansion, but she had no choice but to follow. If she stayed in the mansion, she surely wasn’t safe. Without Arwin’s protection the king could come for her at any given moment and since there was no witnesses, they might even believe she was involved in his death. No, if she followed Carsein her future might be uncertain, but there was also hope that it would be better than the fate that surely awaited her if she didn’t.

Feeling his heartbeat against her ear she closed her eyes and let herself be carried into the night.