The carriage rolled to a stop in front of a modest inn. As they stepped inside, Lilith kept her gaze averted, still flustered from what happened earlier. They approached the innkeeper and rented two rooms on the second floor, side by side. Once they received their keys, they made their way to their rooms. Just as Lilith reached for her door, Leonidas gently caught her arm, stopping her.
"You haven't said much since we arrived. Are you alright, Lilith?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
"I'm fine, I guess…" she murmured.
"Look at me, Lilith… please," he urged.
With a quiet sigh, she lifted her gaze to meet his.
"What happened earlier was just a mistake," Leonidas said gently. "Mistakes happen. You don't need to dwell on it or blame yourself. I have already moved past it, and so should you. Do you understand?"
Lilith nodded. "I understand. Thank you."
With that, she turned and stepped into her room, closing the door behind her. A small smile crept onto her lips, Leonidas was truly a gentleman, so kind and thoughtful.
She took a moment to freshen up before changing into a clean dress, feeling lighter than she had before.
The day passed uneventfully. As planned, Leonidas took Lilith to the market, where they wandered through the bustling streets, taking in the sights and sounds of the town. They were supposed to continue their journey at night, but the coachman informed them that there was an issue with the carriage, forcing them to delay their departure until morning. Lilith didn't mind the change of plans as she was already enjoying the town's ambiance.
As evening settled in, Leonidas approached her with a request. She had to leave her dinner and follow him to the balcony, where they could speak privately.
"I'm afraid we will need to make a slight adjustment to our sleeping arrangements for tonight," he said, his tone cautious. "I can't afford to pay for two rooms again, Lilith. I have made the calculations for all we will be spending on this journey and if I pay for both rooms tonight, we might not be able to get another accomodation in Ravenhurst. I'm sorry, but we will have to share your room, just for tonight. I can sleep on the floor while you take the bed. Would that be alright with you?"
Lilith hesitated. She wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea, but given their circumstances, she saw no other choice. With a small nod, she replied, "It's no problem, Leonidas. We can stay together for tonight."
"Thank you very much, you are so kind," Leonidas said with a relieved smile.
"I should return to my meal before it gets cold," Lilith replied before turning to leave.
Leonidas watched her retreating figure, his warm smile slowly twisting into something darker, more sinister.
By nightfall, they had arranged their sleeping spaces, Lilith laid on the bed while Leonidas was meant to sleep on the floor beside her, where a blanket had been neatly spread out. Before leaving to meet with the coachman and finalize their travel plans for the morning, Leonidas had assured her to go ahead and rest.
It took some time for Lilith to drift off, but eventually, sleep claimed her. Once again, she found herself in a haunting dream.
The same mysterious woman appeared, pleading with her to save them. But this time, the vision expanded, hundreds of wounded people, from children to the elderly, surrounded her. They begged for her help, their sorrowful cries echoing in the air. Blood streamed from their eyes like tears.
Lilith, desperate for answers, repeated her questions. "Who is going to kill you? How am I supposed to save you?"
But just like before, there was no answer, only the chilling wails of the suffering.
Lilith, overwhelmed, repeated her question. "Who is going to kill you? How can I save you?" Unlike before, this time, she received an answer.
The devil.
The word rippled through the crowd in a hushed, unified whisper. Confused, Lilith pressed further. "Who is the devil?"
But they only repeated the same chilling phrase, over and over again. The devil will kill us all.
A cold shiver ran down her spine. Who was this devil? Why did he want to kill these people?
Before she could ask again, a deafening noise rang through the air, piercing her skull with unbearable intensity. The sound forced her to her knees, her hands flying to her ears as she shut her eyes tightly in pain. Then, silence.
When she hesitantly opened her eyes, she saw a pair of men's shoes standing before her. Straining to lift her head and see his face, she felt the world around her darken. A heavy, suffocating force pulled her down, and before she could react, unconsciousness swallowed her whole.
Lilith woke with a gasp, her heart pounding wildly. A sharp ache throbbed in her head, and it took a moment for her to ground herself. As her breathing steadied, she glanced around the dimly lit room, her pulse slowly returning to normal. She was safe. She was still at the inn.
Letting out a deep breath, she turned to look at the space beside her where Leonidas had been meant to sleep, but it was empty. A frown creased her brows. Where is he?
A sudden clicking sound sent a shiver down Lilith's spine. She froze, her breath hitching as a wave of unease washed over her. Slowly, she turned toward the source of the noise, and what she saw made the blood drain from her face, her heart plummeting to her stomach.
In the shadowed corner of the room, a pair of piercing red eyes gleamed in the darkness, their eerie glow sending a chill through her bones.
"Another nightmare, witch?" a deep, familiar voice rumbled through the silence, filling the room with an unsettling presence.