The prisoner returned to her cage, locked by the demon that captured her days ago. Zagar threw her inside the room like he was disposing of an old doll. As her knees touched the floor she heard the thunderous sound of the door being slammed, then the silence took over the space.

Agatha suppressed the urge to cry and ignoring the pain coming from her knees, she got up. With careful steps she walked towards the light switch, for a second she leaned her body against the wall, concentrated on calming her breathing and turned off the light. A sigh of relief escaped her once the dark engulfed the room, the drums that were pounding in her head slowed down.

The young woman crossed the distance to the bed with her arms extended to avoid colliding with the furniture. Her right leg made contact with the mattress, she slowly reached out her hand and touched the surface of the bed. Once she was sure of her position she lay down.

Although several hours had passed since she had woken up, Agatha had no intention of fighting again to get to sleep. However, the pressure she felt in her chest, the headache and the feeling of tiredness told her it was time to rest. She allowed herself to unmask and began to hum a lullaby while tapping her fingers on the mattress.

Before she could finish the song for the third time, she was interrupted by a knock at the door. Startled, she stretched to reach the nightstand. The light expanded, Agatha half closed her eyes until she got used to its brightness.

"Come in," she said, getting up to sit.

The door opened revealing a female demon with short, brown hair. The human recognized her as one of the members of the council, a fact that was confirmed by the snake that was coiled on her arm and the bengal cat that entered before her.

"I brought dinner." The demon announced as she showed him the tray she was carrying in her hands.

Putting on a brave facade Agatha nodded and signaled her to get closer. Each step the woman took increased the rhythm of the prisoner's heart, unconsciously the human began to pick the skin of her thumb.

"I don't know what your kind likes to eat so I chose a classic," explained the newcomer, leaving the tray on the young woman's lap. "I don't think we've had a chance to introduce ourselves, I'm Odessa."

"Agatha," whispered the librarian. She shifted her gaze to the food, at least she was going to eat something she enjoyed: nuggets and fries.

"So? Do you like it?"

The young woman didn't answer the question, she just enjoyed her lunch. The first bite felt comforting, the familiar taste reassuring. She was taking a sip of water when she felt a new weight added to the bed. She looked up to see the cat about to settle on her legs.

"Ignore him, he thinks he's the king of the world," said Odessa. She seemed to be expecting a reaction from Agatha but she got nothing. "You don't talk much, do you? Or maybe you're scared of me."

The young woman's hands became shaky and her breathing quickened. Under the covers their feet began to rub against each other.

"So it's the second option. Don't worry I won't hurt you, not when Zagar and Borbala are on your side. In other circumstances, maybe I would have had a little fun with you. You're a lucky human, You would have been torn to pieces already if it weren't for your power. It's a shame for me, it's not normal for me to come across a human that my animals like, and it's surprising that my snake didn't try to attack you."

"I thought they followed your orders." The young woman said, surprising the demon.

"Now you're talking, I like it, it shows that we're getting along. They do as I say, but that doesn't mean that they don't have their own will. I don't know why they like you, if you ask me you look like any other human. Small, fragile and boring. They're only entertaining when they're screaming for their lives."

"I'm already full," whispered Agatha. With trembling hands she handed back the tray, She shifted her gaze to her lap, afraid that her brave facade would fall if she looked at the demon.

Odessa leaned over the human and approached the prisoner's ear. Agatha closed her eyes, her breath coming to a complete stop.

"Don't forget to breathe darling," said the demon, grabbing the tray. "Get some sleep, you look like you are on the verge of death."

The darkness sheltered the young woman, as long as she kept her eyes closed the monster was not so terrifying. The sound of receding footsteps eased the pressure on Agatha's chest. She heard the door closing and slowly opened her eyes. A sigh expressed her relief. She was safe now, at least as safe as she could be in a mansion filled with her enemies.

No matter how much she told herself that she was no longer in danger, her body couldn't stop shaking. She tried to stop her left arm by grabbing it with her right hand. It was impossible, a hopeless case. The storm was coming up and she let it hit her.

Then the tears appeared. they fell furiously, with an intensity the young woman hadn't experienced in a long time. She didn't bother to stop them, she knew they were in vain and it's never good to bottle up feelings. All the frustration, helplessness and fear came out through her desperate screams.

The tension that had built up for so long eased and the weight on her spirit eased. But her small victory required that she offer something in return, that something was her energy. When her meltdown came to an end, she no longer had the strength to overcome the dream that had taken over her being.

A cool breeze caressed Agatha's face and the particular scent of the sea surrounded her. She opened her eyes; as if it were a miracle a vivid image of the ocean appeared in front of her, as blue and calm as the last time she saw it.

How did she get to the beach? She only remembered her talk with Odessa. Was it even real? Her senses told her it was true, she could hear the sound of the waves and felt the warm sand as she ran her hands over it. The young woman changed her sitting position, extending her legs. Her feet touched the wet sand, seconds later a wave reached them, the sensation of the water touching a part of her body brought back the relaxation she thought she had lost.

Real or not, Agatha planned to enjoy the gift. Her hands moved to the rhythm of the sound of the sea and her mind went blank. Her problems couldn't find her there, she was free, she felt safe.

The sand to her right began to move, causing her to turn around to identify the cause. The young woman did not know what to expect, but she definitely would not have imagined what she found. Standing behind her was Lorcan. Rays of light illuminated her face, making her hazel eyes sparkle; her long disheveled hair flowed in various directions.

Agatha jumped up and ran to the young man. She immediately hugged him, resting her head on his chest. Tears of joy wet her cheeks as she felt his arms wrapping against her waist. Slowly he rested his head on hers.

"I missed you so much," she said, breaking the silence that ruled over them for several minutes. "Are you real? Or is this a very vivid dream?"

She waited for his answer though it never came. Not even a reaction from his body appeared to indicate that he had heard her. Agatha tried to pull away to see his face but Lorcan tightened his hold.

"I hope you can see me, I can't see you or hear you," he explained. "God please let her hear me."

The desperation in his voice twisted her heart. She had never seen him so scared, the strong protector turned to dust.

"I can feel your touch," he continued. "If you can hear me, tap my back twice."

She did what he asked.

"Can you see me?"

Agatha tapped his back again. He responded with a muffled cry and the strength with which he was hugging her decreased.

"I'm sure that you have a million questions. We're in your dreams, Celina is helping me connect through them," explained Lorcan. "I wasn't sure if it would work and I don't know how long it would last. I needed to confirm that you're okay, it feels strange not being able to feel you since your bracelet was taken off. Was it Ellis? He's the one who took you?"

Once again her answer was affirmative.

"Did he hurt you? Once for no, twice for yes."

Agatha raised her hand to tap his back but didn't quite touch him. The young man's body began to fade from the head.

"Shit, not now, just a little more," he begged.

The young woman clung to Lorcan, putting as much strength as possible into her embrace. No matter how much she cried, he kept disappearing.

"I promise you I'll come back." The wind brought his last words.

He was gone and the landscape dissipated besides him. The last thing Agatha remember was the darkness corrupting everything.