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She looked past Ryu On the far wall she could amekeepers’ hallways, corridors used to feed the aniested this route, and ot under her skin, she had no reason to question him

"Come on" She hauled Winter to her feet

The princess peered down at her hands and started to shake "The blood…"

"Yes, yes, the walls are bleeding, I get it Look Over there Focus" Scarlet grabbed Winter’s elbow and spun her around "See that door? That’s where we’re heading Here, I’ll give you a boost" She knitted her fingers together, but Winter didn’t et your act together and decide to helpyou behind with your dead wolf and your bleeding walls Got it?"

Winter’s lips were parted and her expression dazed, but after three seconds she nodded Or, her head dipped and Scarlet thought her eyelashesto count

"Good Now step into et over that rail"

The princess did as she was told The act was clumsy, which was at odds with every movement Scarlet had ever seen her make As Winter collapsed into the wolf’s enclosure, the reality of the situation crashed down around Scarlet

That guard had given the a run for it

Adrenaline rushed through her veins Scarlet checked the knife one rasped the rail and hauled herself over

She landed with a grunt and sprang back up, running for the door It swung open, and to her relief, no alarlanced back to see the princess stooped over Ryu’s body, but before Scarlet could yell for her, the princess lifted her chin, swiped her bloodied pal halls were pitch-black Scarlet paused to listen for footsteps or voices, but there was nothing but the muffled chatter of birds they’d left behind The smell reminded her of the farm, a heady combination of feed and hay and ht would lead her farther into the ht land them back in the palace--hopefully in some sort of servants’ quarters With one hand on the wall, she grabbed Winter’s wrist and took off Her fingers skierie to count the This could be the snow leopard Is this is the arctic fox?

They turned a corner and a blinking light caught her eye--hazy and distant She headed toward it and found a control panel eerie’s lights and temperature and automatic feeders

Beside the panel, barely seen in its faint light, was a door

She pressed the unlockbeyond hope that this door didn’t lead to the lion Nothing happened

Cursing, Scarlet pressed the unlock ed, startling her, and a e scrolled across the top

BE CAREFUL, SCARLET

Her jaw fell "What--?"

Before she could question it, she heard the door unlock Tre, she reached for the handle The door slid open

She flinched at the onslaught of light and pulled Winter against the wall, but a glance told her this well-lit hallas equally desolate Narrow and plain If Scarlet had to guess what a servants’ hall looked like, this would be it

She listened and heard nothing

She looked up and her heart ju the hallway, back and forth But no sooner had Scarlet spotted it than it froze Its power light dimmed and went out Startled, Scarlet leaned farther into the hallway and saw a second camera some fifty paces away just as it, too, shut off

What had Jacin said? So for Winter’s elbow, Scarlet dragged her into the hallway "Do you knohere we are?"

"Near the guest wing"

Well, that was so At least Scarlet didn’t have to worry about theet to Arteht?"