From a young age, Elena Farkas Trescu was cursed by a rare blood disease that has plagued her family for generations. Orphaned after her mother's mysterious death, Elena's life took a darker turn when she was abandoned by her father and left in an e...
A scream, it jerked me awake from sleep in the cushioned bed, an unexpected refuge starkly contrasting with the desolation of the orphanage. Could it have been a trick of my weary mind?
As I rose, a wave of surprise contorted my face upon discovering my new surroundings: I had left behind the shared room with Lady Dimitrescu to awaken in a bedroom of colossal proportions. The echo of my sneakers striking the floor clashed discordantly, in stark contrast to the solemnity of the dark dress I wore; yet, the trivialities of fashion had never captured my interest.
I ventured into the hallways, whose ceilings soared defying all logic. How could it be otherwise to accommodate the towering stature of Lady Dimitrescu? I caressed the golden frames, symbols of an opulence that distilled immeasurable wealth. My eyes had never beheld such majesty, but the grandeur faded in the dimness of a disturbing silence, and the unsettling sensation of being watched enveloped me ever since I left the safety of the room.
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Despite the tempting whisper of curiosity, I resisted exploring the partially open doors, as an imperative hunger guided my steps in search of Sophie and the others in this castle, a dwelling of solitary echoes. Every unexpected creak challenged the bravery I so boasted of possessing, as I hurried down the stairs. The exit door promised a longed-for liberation, and I trusted that finding the way to the kitchens would be simple in that enveloping dimness.
However, reality twisted into a cruel mockery. I found myself disoriented, trapped in a labyrinth of hallways that seemed to have a life of their own. My amnesia presented itself as a merciless nemesis in a castle where every shadow harbored an unfathomable secret. My stomach growled in protest, while the buzzing of a fly became my sole company, a macabre reminder that, in this bastion of darkness and mysteries, nothing was as simple as it seemed.
A maid appeared, her air of unease leading me through the tangled maze of corridors. Finally, I found Sophie in the kitchen, disheveled and with a cup in her hands. I ran to her, enveloping her in a hug filled with desperate relief.
"Sophie, I didn't know where you were," I murmured, my voice betraying my anxiety.
She returned the embrace with equal intensity, but her pale face and fear-filled eyes reflected the strange unrest dominating the castle. We sat together, under the watchful gaze of the maids engrossed in their tasks. My breakfast arrived soon after, and I was grateful to fill the emptiness that hunger had created.
"Thank you so much," I said, managing a smile that fought to hide the tension still present in the air. My companions, equally exhausted, shared expressions of bewilderment and unease.
"Sophie," I tried to speak again, but she remained silent. I opted to start eating while waiting for her to feel encouraged to share what had happened. The last of the maids left us alone, giving us a moment of privacy.
"Elena, where the hell were you?" Sophie finally asked, her voice regaining some of its usual strength.
"Well... I took a bath and then fell asleep," I responded, aware that I was omitting the strange conversation with Lady Dimitrescu. I still couldn't fully understand what had happened, and the enigmatic lady seemed to possess overwhelming knowledge about my illness.
