After spending half the day coaxing the Crimson Princess, Annan turned to the predicament before him.
First, he had to get Lucy and Eileen out of the Castle. After that, whether they took revenge or fled, the choice would be theirs.
"Keep things as they are. I'll find a way."
Annan got a map from Dracula and slipped back into the dry well under cover of the thunderstorm.
It was hard to tell directions underground. After summoning Lemon, Annan cast another spell to summon Alice.
Alice was sharing dinner with her father when a Teleportation Array suddenly pulled her away. Mr. Swaro froze, then his expression turned cold... He knew who had taken Alice.
A Sorcerer had summoned his daughter away in the middle of the night without a word...
Was this the first time, or just the first time he had found out?
"Alice, help me out..."
Annan asked Alice to use Prophecy to locate the Castle. It was about twenty-five li from the abandoned Garden.
After sending Alice back, Annan retraced his steps through the secret passage.
About three hours later, he approached the Castle through a narrow, cramped tunnel.
Faint, rhythmic thuds echoed from deep in the darkness. At first, Annan thought thunder was coming through an opening like the dry well. As he drew closer, the sound grew sharper and clearer, like a pickaxe striking stone.
Annan put away the Magic Lamp and saw a sliver of light seeping into the winding passage ahead...
An oil lamp sat to one side. A cloaked figure was bent over, chiseling at the rock wall.
Someone had beaten him here...
"Lemon, disarm them," Annan whispered.
The figure looked human from behind, but Vampires looked much the same...
Lemon approached silently. When Lemon was about twenty paces away, a sudden