Eveline, realizing Duke's room is safe, spins around like an excited dog. "Yahoo! Staying here forever!"
"Stop fooling around. To the courtyard," I say.
"Reality's cruel! No more scary places!" she whines.
"Then I'm leaving you," I threaten, heading out.
"Nooo!" Eveline cries, following.
Bugs swarm us outside Duke's room. A frenzied figure—likely Cassandra—wields a harpe maniacally. "Tour the castle?"
"No thanks!" I retort.
"Courtyard's this way!" Eveline points, clapping to lure Cassandra away.
"Throat's parched!" Cassandra shrieks, slashing walls, opening a hole. Eveline peeks through, grinning. "Here is Eveline!"
"Mother, help!" Cassandra wails, dropping her weapon.
I unlock the courtyard door, kick it open, and glare at Eveline. "Why The Shining?"
"Scared me so bad I… leaked," she mumbles.
"Remember that," I sigh, recalling her sobbing through the movie last year.
I pluck herbs, stuffing them in a sack. Two paths, but one's locked. "This way."
"Nothing in the middle," Eveline notes.
"Hide!" I hiss, spotting a giant woman ascending stairs. We duck. Eveline gives a thumbs-up. Safe.
"Damn big lady sucked my blood!" Eveline whispers.
"Tough luck. Path's upstairs, where she was," I say.
"Nooo!" Eveline groans.
"How dare you hurt my daughters!" a voice roars.
We exchange glances—Bela's defeat exposed. Creeping upstairs, Eveline floats silently. I snag a castle map.
"She's not here… right?" Eveline whispers.
"Behind that door," I say.
"Phew!" she sighs.
"To the bath," I decide.
Opening the door, iron stench hits. Blood, not water, fills a bath surrounded by statues. "Elizabeth Báthory?" I muse.
"Who?" Eveline asks.
"Hungarian noble, killed hundreds for beauty, bathed in blood," I explain.
"Like the big lady," Eveline says.
"Yeah."
A wall inscription guides me to move statues, draining the blood, revealing stairs. "Underground again?"
"Scarier than above," Eveline shudders.
Below, blood pools on floors, bodies hang. Mummified monsters rise; I use Chris's quick shots, blasting heads. Eveline cheers, "Cool papa!"
"Not your papa," I snap.
"Admit it!" she teases.
"Rose is my only kid," I say.
"She's my sister!" Eveline insists.
"Sure."
Bantering, I clear mummies, finding an old lift. It takes us to a balcony. A phone rings; creaky footing leads to a window. Door sounds inside—we hide.
"Big lady?" Eveline whispers.
"Shh."
Dimitrescu enters, smoking by the window, then answers the phone. "Mother Miranda, Heisenberg let Ethan Winters escape. He's in my castle, troubling my daughters. I'll handle him… I understand the ritual's importance."
She slams the receiver, hurling the vanity. "To hell with the ritual! No one harms Dimitrescu's house!"
She storms out. Loyal to Miranda? Not quite. I check her room—no Rose, but a document: Miranda summons me about the 'Child's' father. No blood ties, yet treated as siblings with Heisenberg? Vile man. Why does Mother equate me with them? My castle, daughters, immortal flesh—aren't I special? Thirsty.
"Big lady, Madão, emo guy, and ugly mama's boy are fake siblings," Eveline quips.
"Father's me, Child's Rose. She's not here," I say.
"Key there!" Eveline points.
"Good eye." I grab the crested key, unlocking a matching door.
"Papa, let's live here! Fancy!" Eveline says.
"Rose'd catch cold. Village is dead—impractical," I reply.
The door opens itself—Dimitrescu looms. I stumble back; Eveline hides.
"Damn…"
"Your daughter's not here," Dimitrescu sneers.
"Face, height, attitude, chest, butt—all huge!" Eveline yells.
"Who!?" Dimitrescu roars.
Eveline, shut up, I think, choking as she lifts me by the neck.
Eveline's childish antics shine. Next: vs. Big Lady, Round One.
Hope you enjoy! Ratings, feedback, typo reports welcome—more feedback, faster I write!