The carriage shook nonstop as Ilyin fought the cold and tried to sleep.
However, the strong northern cold was making her feet numb and she tried to warm them by rubbing them with her hands.
Even though they were in a snowstorm, the carriage was speeding up.
She wondered what time it was, but she had no way of knowing because the sun was already buried in the clouds.
They passed through what looked like snow-covered caves and suddenly, the carriage jumped and Ilyin had to hold on tight to his seat as it shook.
They didn't stop and she looked out the window to see why.
She covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming when she saw red creatures running towards them.
They were ferocious-looking four-legged creatures and reached the carriage easily despite the snow.
‘Were they monsters?’ Ilyin didn’t know what they were, but the capital’s knights knew what these frightening and fast creatures were.
“Let’s speed up!” The knight's voice was barely audible over the creaking carriage and the sounds the creatures made as they approached.
‘It’s okay.’ Ilyin covered his ears and closed his eyes.
She hadn't dreamed of her death, nor of those scary monsters, she heard something scratching the carriage, but the sound died down as they sped up, but the monsters continued to chase them.
‘It’s okay.’
Her heart beat faster and she told herself she would be safe until the first night she had seen in her dream.
Ilyin's eyes opened when she heard a bang against the window and saw the creature face to face.
Red scales surrounded its small, round black eyes and it was covered in snow.
She saw its eye move in that brief moment and the monster opened its mouth in excitement.
The carriage suddenly turned and the monster lost its balance, desperately trying to hold on with its claws.
Fortunately, the window did not break and only a deep scratch was made.
Ilyin broke out in a cold sweat and shivered, she thought again that she would not die yet.
However, she was still terrified and her body was shaking from the cold and shock.
She again closed her eyes and covered her ears.
Ilyin had no way of fighting monsters that could run so fast.
The horses galloped without losing speed and she saw the castle walls and knew that she had arrived at Biflten Castle.
She was safe now, but she felt like this had been a mistake.
"Drug!"
She heard the knight swear and couldn't believe what she was seeing, some of the monsters were climbing the castle walls and were surrounded by the others.
The knight turned sideways as he tried to evade the monsters in front of him.
Ilyin heard the dream of claws scratching at the back of the carriage and his shoulder bumped against the door.
She froze and did not dare to scream, as she was afraid that the red claws would attack her if she was discovered.
The carriage slid and stopped in the snow.
She saw the knight fight bravely against the monsters outside and watched helplessly as his sword met his claws.
Ilyin's body went rigid as she knew that while the knight could fight the monsters, he would not be able to protect the great carriage indefinitely.
The monsters turned toward the carriage, they were too much for the rider to handle, and she grabbed the door handle with shaking hands, she had to flee if things got worse.
Ilyin bit his lip until he tasted blood, there was nowhere to run.
However, she reminded herself that she hadn't dreamed of her death yet and if she had to die, she wouldn't want to wait for it.
She would have already committed suicide if that were her fate.
The only reason she endured her life in the mansion was because she was afraid of the short wait if she tried to hang herself, she was afraid of death and she feared loneliness.
When the monsters crashed into the carriage, Ilyin opened the door and jumped out, a white mist escaping from his mouth and passing through the blue cloth covering his face.
The cold wind whipped her bare hands and the snow was strong enough to hurt her soft hands, she couldn't stay outside the carriage and started running as fast as she could.
Then, something cold brushed his face.