It was too late to run, but Roberto wasn't going down without a fight.
Still sprawled on the ground, he kicked wildly, squealing like a frightened pig.
He needed to buy time—enough to escape.
But death showed no mercy. Roberto saw the cadaverous hand of death reaching for him… 'Cadaverous?'
"Idiot! What the hell are you doing? Keep it down! What if someone hears us?" hissed a voice.
Death had spoken. Though, Roberto's frozen brain couldn't quite process the words.
Then it hit him—beneath the hood wasn't a skeleton, but a woman.
"Death's a woman?"
The frozen terror melted away when he realized the "reaper" was just the woman he knew.
But of course, the real explanation was simpler.
"So it was you. Damn, you scared the life out of me," Roberto exhaled in relief, realizing who it was. For a moment, his fear had made him forget why he was even out there.
"Scared you?" The woman arched an eyebrow, still baffled by the sight of a grown man flailing in the snow like a child. "Tsk. Whatever, I got the goods."
The guard smirked, pushing himself up and brushing off the snow. He refused her offered hand—an act of pride that meant nothing, since he had none to begin with.
"Good. I hope it's something worth the trouble."
"It's the priciest thing I could steal without getting caught," she said, handing him a small wooden box.
"Let's see..." Roberto opened it, revealing a pendant with a green gem. Even his untrained eye could tell it was valuable.
"Incredible," he whistled, closing the lid. "This one should fetch a good price."
"It better. I don't want another miserable payout. And if you get cheated again, I'm taking the whole profit for myself," she snapped, making Roberto chuckle.
"If you're that desperate for cash, you could always keep working with me. I'm not too eager to haggle with those black market folks—they're creepy as hell."
"You idiot! If you're such a coward, why are you in the black market to begin with? And I told you, this is the last deal we're doing together!"
"Yeah, yeah, sure. That's exactly what you said last night," Roberto teased.
"I mean it," the woman said coldly. "And don't even 'think' about running off with the money. If you do, I'll rat you out— even if I have to go down with you."
Roberto burst into laughter again, shaking his head.
"Relax. I always keep my word."
"You'd better," she muttered, turning away and vanishing into the fog.
Roberto watched her silhouette fade into the mist and sighed. "She really needs to loosen up."
---
Snow crunched beneath her boots with each step. The fog was thick, turning the forest into a white maze—a trap with no way out.
Still, Clarinda had a good sense of direction. She hadn't gone too deep, so she wasn't worried.
When two faint figures appeared through the haze, she knew she'd made it.
The maid walked up to them—the young master and Sebastián were waiting.
Lloyd's appearance was rather amusing: wrapped in cloaks and scarves from head to toe, yet still trembling like a leaf. The sight would have been comical under different circumstances.
"Good. I assume you've done your part," said Sebastián.
"I have. That idiot won't suspect a thing."
"Excellent. Then it's my turn. Clarinda, please take care of the young master and escort him back to the mansion. It's far too cold out here—he could fall ill," the butler instructed. "Don't worry, young master. I'll take care of following Roberto."
"As you wish."
In the blink of an eye, Sebastián was gone—disappearing as swiftly as if the mist had swallowed him whole. Clarinda didn't even flinch; she knew well what that old man was capable of.
"Come on, young master, let's go back."
Lloyd didn't answer—most likely because speaking was impossible under so many layers of fabric.
He began waddling forward, stiff and clumsy. Had Clarinda known what a penguin was, she might've thought he looked just like one.
The forest fell behind them, and the mansion wasn't far now. Still, their progress was painfully slow, thanks to Lloyd's tiny, bundled steps.
As they walked, Clarinda's mind wandered back to Lloyd's plan.
He'd figured out that the only way stolen goods could be sold so quickly—and without suspicion—was through black market connections.
It was likely that Roberto had been approached by them, or that the black market itself had investigated him before offering a deal.
Rumors of shady individuals in town only reinforced that theory.
Even so, Clarinda remained skeptical. How could the black market reach such a remote area? What could they possibly gain here? It wasn't exactly a prosperous region.
Still, Roberto had admitted it himself during their last meeting—he'd been stupid enough to let that detail slip. Then again, getting involved with the black market was already stupid in itself.
The young master's sharpness, though, was impressive. He had once been nothing more than a sickly ghost of a boy, but that near-death experience seemed to have changed him.
*Was he always this clever?*
He'd always been frail, yes—but he'd spent most of his life reading. He'd learned to read at a very young age, so maybe… he'd always been a genius.
Clarinda had never paid him much attention before. Maybe if she had, she would've noticed something.
Then, a thought froze her mid-step.
"How did he know it was me?"
That was a far more important question. She had never left any clues behind. Even Sebastián hadn't noticed anything.
So how did he find out?
Perhaps losing his pendant had made him search everywhere. Though… she didn't even remember that pendant. Then again, she did have a habit of jotting things down in a notebook to keep from forgetting.
Her memory had always been terrible. Maybe she'd just forgotten she had it.
But what if… he'd planted it on her?
The thought made her blood run cold. If that were true, if he'd manipulated both her and Sebastián into a confession... then Lloyd was far more terrifying than she'd ever imagined.
"We're here," came a muffled voice from under the scarves. "I'll head up to my room."
Clarinda simply nodded, still lost in thought.
Yet, as she watched the small, round figure struggle up the stairs, her worries faded.
It was impossible. There was no way that child could be so calculating.
A small smile tugged at her lips. He was clever, yes—but still just a kid.
---
A pale light filled the room, casting an eerie glow. Shadows stretched long and thin across the floor, twisting into shapes that seemed almost alive—monstrous and impossible.
That cold light fell upon a large lump under the blankets, illuminating it like a stage spotlight.
The ominous atmosphere faltered slightly at the sight. The mound was nothing more than a heap of coats and cloaks piled over something—or someone—who had apparently been too tired to remove them before falling asleep.
Now that bundled figure was sleeping soundly… unaware of the danger lurking nearby.
The darkness stirred, rippling like disturbed water. From within the shadows, a figure emerged.
No sound. No breath. Only silence.
It crept closer, step by step—inevitable, silent, deadly.
And when it was close enough… the blade fell.
Straight toward the helpless bundle.