The door slammed shut. Dayander whirled toward Mouse. Mouse braced himself. Here comes the lecture.

“Your Highness… are you sane? Are you here with us? Do you truly know what you’re doing?”

Mouse nodded, hesitant. “Yes, I… I know I shouldn’t have broken out, but I wanted to go for a walk. I tricked Cel, you shouldn’t blame her.”

Dayander clasped his cheeks and pinched, the way he would do when Twain was much younger. “You! You little—”

He sighed. His hands dropped to Mouse’s shoulders and gripped tight. He rested his forehead on his hand, exhausted. “I’m glad you’re back, Twain. I’m just… so glad…”

“I am too, Dayander. I am too.” Mouse patted his head awkwardly, not knowing what to do. I’ve never had someone older than me break down like this.

Dayander shoved away. With a sniff, he forcibly recomposed himself. The usual fury replaced the relief on his face. “And you! Don’t you do this, ever again. No sneaking out! Let us know. Let us choose the best moment to release you. We could have avoided all this if you’d only sat still another few minutes.”

“It was so boring…” He caught the thunderstorm brewing between Dayander’s brows and smiled placatingly. “I understand. I won’t do it again.”

“Don’t make promises you won’t keep,” Dayander harrumphed, turning away.

Do you want me to apologize or not? Mouse frowned at Dayander, then turned to Cel. “I’m sorry about sneaking out. I shouldn’t have tricked you.”

“Bit late for that,” Cel growled under her breath. She crossed her arms and scowled bitterly at the wall.

Ah. Dayander must have already lectured her. He grimaced and glanced aside as well, all too aware of the pain she had suffered.

“Never mind all of that. How do you intend to find the culprit? We only have one week,” Dayander said, gripping his hands nervously.

“I already know who it is. Or rather, I have a good idea of who it is,” Mouse clarified.

“You do?”

“It’s Brittany, it’s got to be. It’s just a matter of catching her in the act,” he said dismissively.

Dayander stared, bug-eyed. “Accusing a fellow princess is no small act!”

Mouse waved it away. “They accuse me all the time, it can’t be that hard.”

“That’s Sabelyn. It’s different when you’re the host princess,” Dayander muttered under his breath.

He nodded at Dayander. “More importantly, where the hell is Moss, and why haven’t you caught her? She was in the capitol not long ago.”

“She… what?” Dayander asked.

Mouse nodded. “She visited me while I was out. I don’t know how long ago, but it was after the… one of the times I tried to break out of the room. The one where I went crazy again.”

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“You’ll have to be more specific,” Dayander muttered.

“She said she was here to help clear the capitol of blight. Does that help?”

Dayander frowned. “A week or so ago, a contingent did drop by to assist the humans…”

“That one,” Mouse said, pointing.

Sighing, Dayander shook his head. “It’s no use. It was several regiments, and they’ve deployed all over the human country. Some have even returned to Soanna. I could tell the commanders to search their regiments, but… I wouldn’t hold your breath.”

Mouse hung his head. Dammit, Moss.

“That is… if you saw her at all,” Dayander said quietly.

“I’m pretty sure, Dayander. Pretty sure,” Mouse snapped. Damn, this is annoying. Being questioned over every little memory I might or might not have hallucinated is a pain in the ass.

“Do you know anything about the biting attacks, anyways?” Cel asked, crossing her arms.

Mouse pointed at her. “Thank you, Cel. No, I don’t. Care to illuminate me?”

She sighed. “And you say you already know the culprit… Someone’s been biting people around the palace. At first it was only servants, so the humans’ king didn’t take it seriously, but then they started biting members of the court, and he had to listen to their complaints. Eyewitnesses report seeing a woman with gray skin in a white nightdress wandering the area afterward, sometimes with blood on her dress.”

“What about the victims?”

“They usually passed out. They woke up blurry about the whole thing, which… well, led to the suspicion of poison, which led to…” Cel gave Mouse a significant look.

“No, I mean… who’s been targeted?” Mosue asked.

Cel nodded. “Women, usually. Um, I could take you around to meet them, if you wanted.”

“Wouldn’t hurt,” Mouse replied.

“If you already know who it is, why all this?” Dayander grumbled.

“Everyone thinks I’m crazy. I need serious proof if anyone’s going to listen to me. Besides, you said it yourself. Suspecting another princess is no small act.”

Cel gazed at Mouse and shook her head.

“What?” he asked.

“You went from all-out crazy to fully lucid overnight. It’s… kind of amazing. I’m still processing it.”

“Hey, what can I say? It’s that royal moon elf blood.” Mouse winked at her.

Ba-thump. Ba-thump.

Mouse stiffened and looked up. Not now.

“What is it?”

The world swirled around him. Cel and Dayander melted into the background, little more than lumps of flesh in the putrid, living room. Mouse backed away. “Er, you know what? I’m tired. I could use some rest.”

A hand caught his arm. Cel appeared out of the hallucinations for a moment, clear as day. He turned to her, relieved.

She said something, but her voice distorted, twisting the words to nothing. The skin on her arm sagged, drooping off the bone, soft and wet. Chunks fell to the floor with a horrible, wet plop, and the bone sheered off, her whole arm falling to the floor. Only her hand remained, gripping him tight.

“Sorry, sorry. I just… a nap,” he excused himself blindly. He pushed Cel toward the door, hoping Dayander would follow.

“Are you sure?” Cel asked, her voice clear out of the blue.

“I’m sure. Rest, rest. Isn’t that what you were telling me to do? We’ll pick this up tomorrow. I promise. Figure it all out tomorrow, right?”

The door shut behind the two of them. Mouse breathed out. Safe.

Bloody, dark liquids dripped down from the ceiling and splattered over his shoulders. Mouse shuddered. Now I’m all alone… with my hallucinations. Is this better?

Better than everyone thinking I’m too nuts to be unchained from the bed. He sunk down the door and hid his head in his arms, legs drawn up high around him. Cold fluid dripped down the back of his neck. He shuddered. It’s just a hallucination. Just a hallucination.

A small eternity passed. Mouse stared at the wall, eyes wide, curled in a ball. Shadowy figures paraded past. The walls trembled, alive, so alive.

It will pass. It will pass.