she sat upright in the grand four-poster

ndle sconces casting eerie shadows along the stone walls. It smelled of aged wood, parchment, and something ric

dress, though not the one

had chan

ran down

h her bare feet. She had to get out. Wherever this was, it wasn't home. It

.. Reality hit her hard, she wasn't dreaming, no! This w

h

his

, almost distant b

fr

the little girl peeked inside,

twisted at the

it was a dream th

e with curiosity. "You're awake, again" she sa

I?" she asked again, her voice

her head, her dar

en so soon, this

skin p

ho is you

brightened with somet

er Ri

Several thoughts running through he

o

wasn't

-a monster, a deceiver,

raling thoughts, stepped closer. "He said y

throat t

gently placing her hands

r name?" sh

blinked.

heart

ew tha

ing for someone to find her child. The one who had lost her mind searc

nearly knocked F

e. Here. In R

voice to remain calm. "How

ed, thinking.

e rising in her throat. Her hea

rd... what does

head, confused

" she said simply. "F

blood

rotects them?

ld ask more, t

res

ing wa

stif

th

vo

Deep.

re aw

cle in her body locking into p

tood in t

k, loose-fitting tunic and tailored trousers. He look

nly just woken up himself, and his crims

throat

sn't smirking. He was

ow, that

by the tension in the room,

chirped, runn

nched at

effortlessly, resting

t did I tell you about wak

"I just wanted

ough his nose, amus

, little one." His eyes slid back to Faith

stif

eleased him and gave Faith one

icked shut

st lik

alone wi

gerous Dance, one that the win

. "You look like you've seen a ghost." Faith's han

ched a bro

lay with me, Richard. Where are

y. Instead, he studied her,

too curious for your

ep forward. "Are you

ssion remained

hard. "Then...

ng p

the doorframe and took

dren who are taken by creatures l

breath

ed his head.

ed to darken

, but there was something sharp beneath it. "That is the na

nother st

used to m

d murmured, "ha

h twisted. "Yo

. "Would you rather they had

ug into her pal

pted smoothly, "you'd rather

owned. "

ed smile cur

. "You really don

e quickened.

's eyes

t there far worse th

wered to som

angerous ye

e coming, so

breath

rd sm

r y