Freya was in her bed when a loud banging sound could be heard, followed by a raised voice, but she couldn't make out what was being said. She turned in her bed, clutching her beddings tightly. See if I care, she retorted to herself. Why would I care? It has nothing to do with me. But her feet were already edging off the bed. She found herself walking towards the window and standing by it. Her eyes widened when she saw two small figures dashing across the courtyard.

How stupid? So they just wanted to play together in the dark? What a stupid, pointless secret. Is this what he didn't want to tell me? she scoffed as she headed back to her bed. She checked her baby brother. He was growing up quite well; he looked healthy and had even gained some weight. Her heart felt light and she smiled, but then an image of Luca and Evelyn smiling in that old kitchen while taking care of baby Leon flashed across her mind. That's right. Without Luca… without Freya, he might not even be here, she thought, sitting down on her bed.

He didn't want her to meddle, though. She tried to quell the uneasy feeling in her chest. She tried to sleep, but she was hyper-aware of her surroundings. She hadn't heard the window open again. What were they still doing outside? The first hour and a half had already passed… no movement. The anxiety was eating away at her. What were they doing, and why didn't they include her?

After ten more minutes of restless turning, Freya shot up from her bed and went storming out to Luca's room. I can't take this anymore. Maybe they came back and I just haven't heard.

She knocked on Luca's door multiple times. Nothing.

She knocked again. Nothing. She wanted to turn around, but she decided to twist the doorknob again. The door flung open. The room was still empty. Freya felt the panic flow over her. Where are they?

In the corner, on the seat, there was a small white envelope. She picked it up, perplexed. Both Luca and she couldn't read. Who was this for, and for what? Her heart started pounding hard in her chest. She picked up the envelope and ran out of her room. No one was around. Most of the servants had gone out for the weekend, and the few who stayed couldn't read as far as she knew. The only ones who might know where…

The guards from the south.

She ran down the hall and out to the servants' dwelling. She knocked hard on the door of the men's quarters. The elderly grounds keeper opened the door.

"What is it?" he asked. "Get lost, Freya. You know you aren't allowed here."

"I know. I need to talk to Bram. It's urgent."

"How urgent?" he asked, but seeing the letter in her hand, he knew only the lord or the mistress would send a letter.

He disappeared behind the door, and a few minutes later, Bram came walking quickly, trying to put on his coat.

Freya was seated on the floor below, clutching her body. She had left her room without her coat, and the night air was chilly. When Bram saw her, he ushered her back to the mansion. Freya didn't say anything; she just handed him the letter, which he tore open, confused.

"Did the Earl write?" he thought out loud, but again Freya was quiet.

He read over the letter, but with each line, his face grew more pale.

"What does it say?" she asked, but Bram couldn't bring himself to repeat what he was reading.

"How long has it been since they left?" Bram asked, shaking Freya.

"About two hours," she said faintly.

"Why didn't you say anything? They will die!" he shouted.

"I didn't know. I can't—I…" She couldn't finish her words. Bram was running down the hall.

"Wake up! Wake up, everyone! There's an emergency!" he shouted, running back to the men's dorm. All the guards and knights who weren't on duty got up.

Bram went and put on proper clothes while Freya, who had been caught up in the scuffle, could only go find Mildred. Mildred came out of the women's side, dazed. But when she saw Bram rushing to the stables, the feeling of absolute dread started to rise in her chest.

"What has happened? Is the Marquess alive? What's wrong?"

"Evelyn and Luca—" she started, but Mildred dashed after Bram. She didn't want to hear anymore. Her stomach was turning violently.

"What's going on?" Mildred called out at the door of the stable, blocking the way out. "I want answers!"

Freya was right behind Mildred, still not understanding what had happened.

"They went to the mines at night, Mildred. They went looking for money," he choked out.

Mildred felt her knees fold, but Freya held onto her. They stumbled to the side. She had to inform the Lady. But how was she to say this? How could she even admit that something like this had happened? What if they were dead? They couldn't have made it out far, right?

Bram and the four guards and two knights present got on their horses and started galloping down to the main fort gate.

Mercer saw the men riding towards the gate and got startled, standing there ready to stop them. Fort rules dictated that no one was to leave past ten.

"How did they leave?" Bram barked when his steed was forced to stop by Mercer, who was a fairly large man. His imposing figure had made the horses come to a sudden stop.

"Who?" he asked, perplexed.

"The children."

"What children?"

"I don't have time for this!" Bram yelled.

One of the knights got down from his horse and pushed past Mercer to open the gate. Bram and the others left in a hurry while the remaining soldier explained the situation to Mercer briefly before following in pursuit.

The old gate man went cold in the face. What? When? How?

Luca was stumbling for hours. He didn't know where he was. The road was dark. His legs ached all over. His exposed neck felt rock hard and incredibly painful. He couldn't even manage a little scream.

The light of the lamp made the trees' shadows bounce all around him as he ran desperately, praying not to fall or end up in the gorge or a similar hole like Evelyn. He nearly gave up when he felt something rustle below him. He bent down, and there under his boot was Evelyn's map, crumpled up and under a small layer of snow. He was over the mountain. He wasn't far from the main road, he thought. A new strength rose up in him, and he ran down the path they had taken. Not far from here. It's not far…

He passed the orange signpost as he rushed down the main path. His little body slowed down with each sprint before he could no longer move more than a feeble step. He had reached his limit. He fell face first into the snow. He no longer had the energy to move.

Just a little more, he thought, but he was already blacking out. In the distance, his eyes caught a flicker of light. But the wind howled, sending shivers over him again, blowing out his own lamp. Then complete darkness.

Neil, one of the guards who was familiar with the mining district, led the way per the letter's instruction. The horses pushed hard. The snow kicked up. The commotion from the riders had caused a great stir in the city, and everyone along the southern passageway was on edge. What was happening? By the time they reached the main road in the forest, forty minutes had already passed.

"Up ahead!" Neil shouted.

There was a small flickering light that Neil had seen before it went out. They rushed over and found Luca face down in the snow.

Everyone held their breath as Bram got down to examine him. Bram reached for his neck and checked for a pulse.

He heaved a sigh of relief. "He is still alive," he announced. "But he is suffering from hypothermia. He needs to get warm now, or we will lose him."

He handed Luca to Neil, who got off his horse and, together with two guards, tried to start a fire off the side of the road. In the meantime, some of the knights took off their cloaks and covered Luca with them.

"Where is the young lady?" Bram asked. He had been searching the surrounding area, but she wasn't anywhere to be seen.

A fire had been set up. The men sat around, anxious. They had looked for a long time. Almost four hours had passed. It was nearly daybreak. Their best bet was Luca, but he hadn't woken up yet.

"I'll go up again," Bram announced. "I just can't sit still. She could be dead."

"Uhh," a frail sound came out of the small boy.

"Luca! He is awake!" Neil shouted.

"Luca! Luca!" Bram rushed. "Tell me where she is!"

"Eve—" Luca rasped. "Where is Eve?"

"He just woke up. Don't rush him!" Neil tried to interject, but Bram pushed him aside.

"She could be— Don't you understand me?"

At this, they all fell silent again.

Luca felt his head stinging and his throat felt sore, but the moment he saw Bram and the knights surrounding him, his eyes opened wide.

"Eve," he voiced, his voice hoarse. "She's alive."

"What did you say?" Bram yelled, exasperated.

"She's alive. In the cave," he said. "I need to take you."

"Let's go!" Bram said, moving into action. He wrapped Luca in several cloaks and put him on his horse before hopping on too. "Please try to stay awake for a little while, okay? Let's find her together."

The sun was starting to rise in the east. A hawk was sent to the barracks, and word of Eve's disappearance had reached the Marquess's ears. He left immediately. Meanwhile, Evelyn's grandmother had passed out from the shock. Mildred and Freya stood beside her bed, both deep in thought, each battling their own regrets.

Eve, however, had cried and yelled until her voice was sore. He won't make it, she thought. It's all over. She tried crawling down the mine shaft, looking for an escape, but nothing could be seen. She took a left and entered an open horizontal shaft. There, she saw what she had hoped for. A tunnel that looked like the bright night sky —thousands of tiny lights reflecting off her dying lantern. Diamonds.. But only this time, she wasn't happy. No, she wished death would find her soon. What benefit were these diamonds if Luca was dead?

She was certain, with how the weather was raging outside, that Luca was no more. I should have told him to join me in the cave. Why did I send him away? she thought. Time passed slowly, and with each second, her heart wrenched. She felt nauseous.

"My Lady, where are you?" a voice called out. That voice. It worked. But is he alive? Is Luca well?

"Bram! Bram!" she called back.

"She is alive!" Bram's voice called back, his voice breaking into a cry.

Bram climbed down into the shaft and followed Eve's voice until he found her. Her ankle was blue and black and swollen. Apart from that, she was practically fine. The moment he found her, he couldn't think about anything else. He broke down crying.

"Where is Luca?" she asked, her face pale.

"Why would you do this?" Bram said in between sobs.

"I asked where Luca is!" Eve said, crying too.

"He is fine," he finally answered.

Finally, Eve's sobs came out clearly. All the tension, the fear, the anxiety washed away slowly.

"Bram, look at what I found," she said, lifting Bram's head up to look at the walls.

"What are you saying, my Lady? Don't you understand what your actions nearly caused?" But just as he was saying this, his eyes saw the deep cave around them shining brightly. Such a vast diamond shaft.

"I found the treasure," Eve said, then passed out from the pain and exhaustion.

"My Lady… my Lady…" was all she could hear as she drifted off into deep darkness