Chapter 10

The sounds outside faded, footsteps of the monster retreating.

Ethan strained to hear: the steps were light, not like an adult’s, probably no taller than five feet.

The noise shifted oddly, starting as footfalls on the floor but turning muffled, like on walls or the ceiling.

Ethan listened a bit longer until sure the disturbance was gone, then climbed back into bed.

After all that, neither felt like chatting, and they eventually dozed off in a haze.

The next morning.

Ethan opened his eyes to an unfamiliar room, still in the castle.

This confirmed it beyond doubt: this wasn’t just a dream, they were all in a deadly escape game where people could die.

He’d just finished washing up when a knock came at the door.

Knocking now gave Ethan a headache, but it was daytime, not as risky as night.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Serena.”

Ethan opened the door to find Serena standing there, looking panicked.

“Ethan, Lily left last night and hasn’t come back all evening.”

“What?”

Ethan froze; he clearly remembered talking to Lily around eleven-thirty at the door, and after that, she should have gone back to her room.

Had she not returned, but gone somewhere else? He hadn’t actually seen her enter her room.

But why? What would make her go out so late, and where? Or had something happened to her?

“I won’t hold you back, I’ll do my best to help.”

Lily’s words from last night echoed unbidden in his mind, a bad feeling settling in.

“Let’s gather everyone first.”