With curses mumbled under his breath, Delbert paced the castle's dark hallways. The anxiousness that had been building in his chest for what seemed like hours was now reaching a fever pitch as he looked for Alicia. His thoughts replayed his master's words, a terrifying reminder of what would happen if the girl he was watching suffered any harm.
Matilda, with whom the girl was very close at the castle, had mentioned casually that Alicia had gone somewhere with the butler when Delbert had happened to come across her. His panic only grew after hearing the news.
She was with the butler, but why? And in this enormous maze of a palace, where in the devil could they have gone?
"Where are you, damn it?" Delbert raked a hand through his tangled hair and grumbled. The castle, usually eerily quiet, seemed alive this evening, every creak of the floorboards and distant gust of wind mocking his desperation.
