The prison cell was freezing. The stone floor leeched the heat right out of their bodies.
Ruby and Lily huddled together in the corner, shivering, while Matilda sat with her knees pulled to her chest, trembling like a bird caught in a storm.
Sandro watched her for a moment. Without a word, he slipped off his jacket and draped it gently over her shoulders. Matilda looked up, surprised. The warmth was instant. "Thank you," she whispered, pulling the fabric tighter. Sandro just nodded and sat back down against the wall.
Outside, the night was alive with noise—the distant moans of zombies shuffling, scratching against the village walls. None of them slept well.
"Tomorrow makes eight days since we got here," Nico muttered from the shadows.
Matilda exhaled sharply. "We can't waste another day. We need to break out."
"I couldn't agree more," Ruby said, her voice firm despite the cold.
"Then it's settled," Matilda said, her eyes hardening. "The Chief isn't listening to us. Staying here is just waiting for death."
They must have drifted off into a restless doze, because the next sound jolted them awake—a sharp metallic CLANG against the bars.
"Up! You've got a visitor!" the guard barked, banging the hilt of his sword against the iron.
A figure stepped out of the gloom.
The face was beautiful, calm, and annoying. Scarlett. She looked at them with a mix of pity and amusement.
"I have something for you," she said, her smile directed straight at Sandro.
She passed two small, bound wooden books through the bars. Sandro frowned, taking them.
"Scarlett... why—" But she was already turning away, her silk dress swishing against the dirty floor.
"Why are you helping us?" Sandro called after her.
She paused, glancing over her shoulder. "If you die, it'll be troublesome for me."
She smirked. "If you ever want to leave that group and join me... it's not too late." Then she was gone, disappearing into the shadows of the dungeon hallway.
The group exchanged confused looks.
Nico tilted his head. "Do you know her?"
Sandro shook his head, looking down at the books. "No. Not really."
Matilda straightened, feeling a prickle of irritation. "Forget her. We need to get out."
Their plan was simple: someone would fake a stomachache, lure the guard in, and the others would knock him out.
It did not go smoothly.
Nico started groaning, clutching his stomach and thrashing on the floor.
"My appendix! It's exploding!"
The keys rattled. The lock clicked. But instead of one guard, three rushed in. "Hold him down!" one shouted. "Now!" Matilda yelled.
The cell exploded into chaos.
Ruby launched herself at the first guard, clamping her hand over his mouth and slamming him into the wall.
Nico stopped faking and tackled the second guard's legs, wrestling him to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
The third guard drew his sword, turning on Matilda. She didn't have a weapon, so she grabbed the wooden stool from the corner and swung it with all her might. CRACK. The stool splintered against the guard's helmet. He crumpled. It was messy, frantic, and noisy, but somehow... silence fell.
Three guards lay unconscious on the floor. Breathless and shaking, they bound the guards with their own belts and slipped out into the corridor.
They couldn't go back to the palace.
They couldn't return to their lodgings—Luna would find them there in seconds. So they ran.
They sprinted through dark alleys and half-lit streets, avoiding the main torches, until they found a narrow passage tucked in the heart of the village. There, behind a stack of crates, they crouched, catching their breath.
"We escaped..." Lily wheezed. "Now what?" Matilda wiped sweat from her forehead. "Do you remember when we first arrived at the village core? That man who bumped into us? The crazy one who warned we'd be turned into zombies?"
Ruby nodded vigorously. "I remember his face. Clear as day. He had that scar."
"Good," Matilda said. "Maybe he knows something the others don't. You and Lily go look for him. Meet us back here in... an hour."
Lily blinked. "Wait. How long is an hour here? We don't have watches. How do we measure time?"
Matilda rolled her eyes. "Just come back when it feels long enough."
Ruby grabbed Lily's arm. "Come on."
She dragged her away, muttering, "Feels like an hour?... ridiculous..." Meanwhile, Nico eyed the wooden books in Sandro's hands.
"What've you got there?"
Sandro turned one over. The cover was worn, the wood stained with age.
"Some answers, I hope."
Ruby and Lily searched the winding streets, keeping to the shadows.
It wasn't long before they heard shouting near the market square. They peeked around a corner and spotted him. The old man.
He was filthy, curled into a ball on the dusty ground, being kicked repeatedly by another villager.
"Stay down, you useless rat!" the villager spat, raising his heavy boot again. "Stop stealing scraps!"
Without thinking, Lily rushed forward. "Stop it!" she cried, grabbing the angry villager's arm. The man spun around, surprised, and shoved her hard. Lily flew back, landing in the dirt with a gasp.
"Are you crazy?" the villager shouted. "Mind your own business, girl!" Ruby stepped forward, her fists clenched, ready to fight.
"Don't!" Lily called out.
Ruby froze. She looked down at the old man, who was wiping blood from his lip. Her eyes widened.
"It's him," she whispered. "The man we are looking for."