Luca yawned loudly while leaning on the stable wall. He had barely gotten any sleep the night before. What exactly is she thinking about? If she had just handed the diary and map to her grandfather, wouldn't he have taken care of it easily? Why must she take such a risk?

Luca wanted out of this deal, and he wanted out fast. But the way she was desperate made him feel like if he didn't go with her, she would go alone, and for some reason, that made him more anxious. She had instructed him to keep quiet and to be ready at eight pm that night. When he heard the triple knock, he should open up. They would use his window to leave in order to avoid the guards, since the west end of the fort was mostly empty and was rarely patrolled. The main issue would be to get out the gate, but Eve said she had a plan.

He sighed loudly while tugging at his hair. "I might as well go bald," he huffed.

"Why would you go bald?" Freya, who had snuck her way out of the kitchen to find him, asked.

"Freya, when did you arrive?" he asked, startled.

"A minute or so ago. I tried calling out to you from the door, but you wouldn't respond."

"Ahh," he responded with a nervous laugh. "I spaced out."

"Is that so?" Freya questioned. "By the way, what happened last night?" she backtracked, catching Luca off guard.

"I, umm, it was a nightmare," he managed to stutter, almost unsure of himself.

"A nightmare?" she asked, moving closer, causing Luca to back up towards the corner of the room.

"Yes, a nightmare," he responded. "Why are you moving closer?"

"Why are you moving away?" she asked back.

"Because you aren't giving me personal space. Yeish, what's wrong with you?" he blurted, annoyed.

"What's wrong with me? Me?! Luca, I saw her! What did that brat want? And why would you lie to me? I've known you since we were infants, and you'd lie to me for her? Is she someone worth choosing over me?"

"What? What are you talking about? And why would you say that? Look, it's kinda complicated. I'll explain later."

"I don't want to hear it later. What is going on between you two? Don't do something that will get us kicked out right now. Do you know how much I begged to get to this fort?"

"What does this have to do with you?" Luca asked, exasperated. "Why would you be involved? It's between Eve and I," he retorted. "You're just being nosy, which—if you weren't—you wouldn't be implicated."

"Eve?" she murmured and chuckled, both offended and disgusted at the same time. "You even use her first name? Implicated? What does that even mean? Wait… I can't believe you are treating me like the outsider. You know what? Forget it. Do whatever the hell you want. Just keep your ruckus down. You woke up the baby yesterday." At that, she turned and left, but Luca could tell she was deeply hurt.

"Freya, wait!" he called out, trying to chase after her. But she was already long gone, and Evelyn was walking towards him quickly. She crossed paths with the retreating Freya and noticed the glare she received.

"Did you tell Freya anything?" Evelyn asked when she arrived.

"No."

"Why was she glaring at me like that, then?"

"I really didn't say anything, I swear. Why would I put her life in danger too?"

"Okay," she replied, still deep in thought. "I brought you these." She handed over a few things: a pair of boots and thick fur clothing. "These are some of the extra stuff I had laying around. I noticed yours were a bit worn out. Wouldn't want you freezing out there." She set herself beside him. They then went over the plan again.

It was a Friday evening. Tension was rising in Evelyn's heart, but she took a few deep breaths and reignited her ambition. It was now or never. Her encounter with Freya had left her stiff with fear. Had their plan been figured out? And how much did she know? Freya and Luca were naturally close, so she felt she couldn't trust Luca's words one hundred percent. Besides, lying to a close friend was like trying to lie to a parent. They'd easily see through your words and actions.

But maybe that wasn't a bad thing. An idea flashed through Evelyn's mind. She picked up a piece of paper and wrote down the fake story about the chest in the mines and described exactly where they were to go. She then put it in an envelope and addressed it to Bram, then tucked the letter into her coat.

It was six in the evening. Evelyn's grandmother was to leave with the coachman soon; she'd return around nine at night. Evelyn packed all she needed nicely in her bag: a small lantern, the map, some food and water, and a flint and steel—her fire starter. She then layered her clothes well and crawled into bed after saying goodbye to her grandmother.

"Clara, I'd like to go to sleep early. I'm really tired."

"Oh, okay. What about dinner?" she enquired.

"I've just had tea and bread. I feel full."

"Okay, my lady. Goodnight," she said while blowing out the lamps.

After about two hours of waiting, Evelyn got up from her bed. The guards who made rounds every hour had just passed below her window; she could hear the sound of heavy boots shuffling below. It was time. She grabbed her bag and opened her door. She snuck down the stairs. All the maids on her floor had been dismissed by seven pm, and the only workers around were cleaning up in the kitchen. This made things much easier for her.

When she reached the west wing of the castle, she knocked like they had agreed on. Luca opened the door, his face pale from anxiety.

"What's happened?"

"Nothing," Luca retorted, his voice shaking.

"We will be fine, Luca, I promise," Evelyn comforted, but her words were also to herself.

"Have you packed?" Evelyn asked.

"No, not yet done. Just have to add this extra coat, just in case," he said. "Why don't you lock the door?"

Evelyn shuffled towards the door but didn't lock it.

"Are we ready now?" she asked again.

"Yes."

"Okay, climb out the window and wait for me. There isn't a drop down; we are on the ground floor. I'll follow after," Evelyn instructed. Once Luca was out, she followed and hopped out, then closed the window a bit loudly, which caused Luca to turn around irate.

"Do you want us to get caught?" he hissed.

They scurried through the dark. The night air was chilly beyond measure, even through the many layers of clothing.

Once near the gate, they saw the farm cart belonging to the cook. He often doubled as a delivery man and would go to the market on Saturday to restock on goods. Evelyn had learned through observation that the old man often left after clearing up the kitchen on Friday before nine.

His cart, which was empty save for some tarps to protect the goods from the snow, was beginning to depart.

"Hurry up!" Evelyn called back.

"Okay," he said, seemingly understanding what they had to do.

They followed the cart before hopping on and covering themselves with the tarp.

"Mercer, I'm heading out," the cook called to Mercer, the gatekeeper.

"Have a lovely evening, old buddy," Mercer called back, drawing open the gates.

Once through, Evelyn and Luca tried their best to remain as silent as possible. Now to wait until he stops over. They could not afford to alert the man seated at the front of the cart, or their plan would fall through.

An hour passed before they came to a sudden stop. The cook parked his cart outside a pub in the southern part of the town. This was perfect. Once he walked in, Luca and Evelyn slipped out and started sprinting down the road. They went down the southern pass and exited the slum town into the plain. They then crossed the bridge and started toward the southern mountain range. The air was sharp, cutting through to their lungs. They had been running, and now the dim lights from the houses had seemingly disappeared.

They came to a sudden stop. Evelyn put her bag down and took out her flint and a small glass oil lantern. She lit the flame after a few fails. Then she took a scarf and covered her nose and mouth. She then handed Luca the lamp and helped cover his nose and mouth with a different scarf.

"This should help with the cold air," she said. "Are you ready?" The two kids stood facing the dark road ahead of them. They held each other's hands through thick gloves, the dim lights of the town behind them.

"Yup," Luca responded, his voice muffled but still evidently shaky. He pulled out a small dagger from his pocket. "Let's go."

They walked just like that. It must have been two hours before they came by the orange signpost. All that was left was a small hill before they found the abandoned mines.

Neither of them had spoken. The forest had grown so quiet that not even the hoot of a snow owl could be heard. Scared to break that peace, the two of them had maintained that silence, sticking together, huddling to protect each other from the strong wind.

So they started up the hill. At the very top, Evelyn and Luca finally spoke.

"Here it is," Luca whispered. "Just below us is a gorge with many tunnels leading into the abandoned mines. What are we looking for exactly?"

"A willow tree," Evelyn whispered back. In the epilogue, Leonhart falls through an opening near a great willow tree, Evelyn thought.

"A tree? We are in a frickin forest, Eve," Luca retorted. "I knew it. I knew you had no plan. You expect us to find a tree in the forest in the dark? Let's go back."

"Wait!" Evelyn called back. She just needed time to map out the direction they should take.

As Luca grew more anxious standing over Evelyn, there was a sudden rustle in the trees.

Luca, who heard it first, turned his attention to the sound immediately.

"What's that?" Luca asked, suddenly shifting Evelyn's attention.

The rustle came again. Luca focused on the bush a few meters from him to his left.

"Let's go, Eve!" he shouted, his heart pounding, imagining the wolves he'd often heard about encircling them. He knew it was a wolf. His heart knew it was a wolf, and his mind knew they never hunted alone.

He could imagine being torn apart, and his breath quickened. Evelyn, who was frantically trying to pick up her things that she'd laid down—her book and map—got yanked up by Luca, and he started running, leaving her things on the floor. They ran frantically up the adjacent hill. They were confused. Halfway up the hill, the lamp blew out from the wind. Fear had gripped both of them so tightly that the only thing they could hear was the faint panting as they went up and down and turned left and right in the dark.

Just as they approached another mountain peak, the ground gave in, and Evelyn, who barely managed to hold herself up, was hanging off the edge of a hole.

"Luca!" she called, and he came to a sudden stop. Where was she? He had let go of her hand a few hills back, but she was right behind him. He walked back. The bright moonlight came out from behind the clouds, and he could finally see the white rim of Evelyn's coat. She was slipping. He ran, trying to pull her up, but he was too weak.

"Take this!" Eve shoved her bag to him, trying to lighten her weight. But before she could pull herself up, she slipped down.

"Eve!!!" Luca shrieked loudly, his voice strained and blood-curdling.

Luca fell backwards in disbelief. He curled himself into a ball, sobbing, but the cold air made his tears run icy in a few seconds. Still, he couldn't stop sobbing.

Why did I agree to come? he thought, grabbing his hair through his hat. What will I do? What have I done? She's gone. He wretched. If only I died instead, he thought after laying there for some time. I can't go back. I can't face anyone. I can't—

"Luca!" a faint voice called back.

"Eve? Are you there?" he called. He quickly grabbed the lamp and rummaged through Eve's bag and got the flint. He lit it fast and held it over the hole.

There she was, not far from the roof, but too far for him to reach her. The initial fall had caused Eve to knock her head on the ground. She had fallen unconscious for a brief period, and even now, in her disoriented state, she could only call out faintly.

Thank God, he thought. But how will I get her out?

A few minutes passed before Eve could talk properly. Luca lay flat on the floor, illuminating the dark cave for Eve.

"Luca, I think you should go back and get help."

"Why? How?" he shrieked. "And what about you?"

"Luca, this is the only way."

On this, they argued for a while. Luca tried to get her out, but his efforts bore no fruit. So he gave in.

"Will you be fine?" Luca called back.

"Yes, yes," Eve answered, but he didn't seem convinced. So she reached up and asked for the lighter.

The cave Evelyn was in was an old mine shaft. There were old wooden debris below. She hauled a few pieces towards the centre and tried to light a fire. Luca passed down his handkerchief, partly dipped in the paraffin container of the lamp, and that helped start the fire.

Luca then threw down the extra coat he brought and her bag, which had a few slices of bread.

"Go back, Luca. Get help. I'll be fine. I am warm. I have food. I'm better off than you. So just go get help, okay?" Evelyn called back.

She hadn't mentioned it, but her foot had been twisted up really bad. She tried her best to hide her strain and the constant ringing in her head.

"How will I find this hole again?" Luca asked, the reality of their situation setting in again.

"Look around. What do you see?"

"Only a large tree," he called back.

"A large tree?"

"With droopy leaves," he called back.

My heart skipped. The willow tree We had found it.

"Luca, if you have something, wrap it around the tree and try to retrace your steps," Eve called back.

He removed his neck scarf and tied it around the tree.

"I'm going, okay? Please stay alive."

"Same to you, Luca. Please stay alive," Eve called back. "And Luca, I am sorry."

This wasn't what she had planned, and even as she sent him back there, she couldn't help but think he might not make it. Eve's false confidence disappeared the moment Luca's footsteps faded.

What have I done?