“My, my. How very interesting this has quickly become.”

The familiar soft voice rang out in the dark hallway, like a wind carrying a heralded message. Seeming to walk out of the very shadows themselves, Marianne stood before the gathered group with a gleam in her one crimson eye. Smirking, she directed that very same gaze onto the girl now clinging onto Faira’s leg.

“Ah, why thank you Faira dear for holding the girl for me. This won’t take very long, and I really do appreciate the consideration for me. Now then, come along Little Ann.”

The dark dressed girl titled her head and smiled warmly, though the expression did not match her next set of chilling words.

“Why, isn’t it time for you to die now?”

Elsewhere, Scarlet watched in silence as Rosaline headed off to join the others. She would have to keep an eye on that girl specifically, the one she likened to be the leader of that little band. Even so, she really wanted to believe that she could trust them.

Sighing to herself, her red eyes slowly diluted back to blue and she put her knife away. She was about to join the others, when suddenly something held her in place. A pounding echoed painfully in her head, strong enough to make the maid fall to her knees.

“W-What the…h-hell is this…?”

Gritting her teeth, she began to gasp out in panic as the searing pain in her head only increased in intensity.