Esmeralda returned to the floating land. She was greeted by Kate who comes running to her side and hugged her. The girl's hug was tight she can feel her breath fading away. She gently disengaged herself from Kate's hug. "Calm down, child. You have nothing to worry about me. I'm alright," she explained.

"I'm so glad you're safe, Granny!" Kate exclaimed as huge relief washed over her. Losing Ivy and losing Granny would be a terrible blow to deal with. She wasn't going to survive the mental and emotional shock if all the people she cared for will go missing one by one.

Esmeralda smiled. "Of course I'm fine, child."

Kate breathed deeply. "Granny...d-did you have any news regarding my missing sister?"

The old woman was shaking her head feeling sad for the girl. "I'm sorry, child. Until now, there's no news regarding your sister's whereabouts."

A disheartened expression broke in Kate's face. "Granny, what I'm going to do? Where to find my sister? We need to find her!" she said desperately. Argh! She felt useless, she fails miserably in finding her sister!

"I know child, just calm down. I'm thinking hard about where to find your sister. Her mysterious disappearance also bothered me deeply," Esmeralda sighed heavily. If ten days past and they can't find Ivy, the poison in her body will be activated and she will die without an antidote. She can't even tell Kate about it, or else the girl's worries will double. Poor child!

Esmeralda was suspecting at first that Ivy was taken again by the vampires but the big bird kept sending food to her place, which means she hasn't returned to the vampire's territory yet.

Ivy is a guest in her house and Kate's sister, yet she failed to protect her! What kind of host she is!?

She's being careless! Or maybe, she was just not used to taking care and protecting other people only herself that's why she failed to protect the girls.

Kate's eyes watered. "Granny, we can't stop, we need to find sister again. Let's go back to the box and find her anywhere!" she said hurriedly and rushed towards the silver box and went inside.

Esmeralda was shaking her head, she can't blame Kate though. The parallel world inside the castle is vast. They have to travel to random places to find Ivy. The good thing is they no longer need to turn the whole place upside down just to look for Ivy because she can smell her scent even from afar. She can always command the leaves to accompany them in her in their travel.

She looked at the tree and raised her right hand. Immediately, about fifty leaves separated themselves from the branches of the tree and floated in the air.

She walked towards the silver box to resume their travel in finding Ivy.

The moment Esmeralda entered the silver box, the door automatically closes and takes off from the ground.

The silver box floated into the sky at a steady speed, not too fast and not too slow.

They have been traveling for more than twenty minutes in no definite direction.

Kate glanced at her companion, she was puzzled. How can they find her missing sister when all they have done is floating in the air? They won't find her sister with this method. "Granny, why don't we go down in the land below and start finding my sister on foot?" she suggested. "With the way we are doing, we can't find my sister in this manner," she added.

Esmeralda smiled. "The leaves are now scouting the land below us, they would report to me if they can locate the scent of your sister in the surface of the land," she explained.

"Ah...okay. I got it, Granny," said Kate.

Esmeralda was examining the ground below to find a safe landing area. She spotted a small clearing beside the river surrounded by towering trees.

That's a good spot!

In her mind, she commanded the silver box to land slowly in the clearing.

After landing, the door of the silver box opened automatically. Kate and Esmeralda exited the box and starts scanning the surrounding area around them.

The place around the clearing is well maintained as if somebody is frequenting in that area. The embers of the bonfire can be found in the center of the clearing, it looks like it was just recently used.

Esmeralda pointed at the roots of the tree. "Kate you go over there and sit down. Do not go anywhere without my permission," she ordered her.

"Yes Granny," Kate replied and obeyed. She walked towards the roots of the tree and settled herself on it comfortably.

Esmeralda was observing the surrounding, it was quiet and tranquil. She can't see any wild animals lurking nearby. She looked at the river, calm as the sky above, soothing to the eyes. It's a good place to stay idle and relax while waiting for the leaves to report to her.

Esmeralda was about to join Kate under the shade of the tree when she heard a woman's voice screaming and crying for help nearby.

"HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLPPPPP!"

"SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEEEEEEE!"

"HELPPPPPPPPPP!"

The voice echoed in the forest.

Esmeralda and Kate looked at each other.

Kate's eyes widened. "Granny...did you hear it?" she asked.

"Yes, I do. It's a woman's voice asking for help!" Esmeralda replied.

Kate pointed at the northern part of the forest. "The sounds come from over there, Granny!"

Esmeralda saw the overgrown bushes moving in that direction. "You wait inside the silver box and don't come out unless you see me again!" she instructed her.

"Yes, Granny!" replied Kate. Unknown to her, a black liquid fell from one of the branches of the tree and landed on her hair.

Esmeralda rushed towards the bushes in a hurry.

While Kate was rooted on the spot unable to move her feet. 'Huh? Why I can't move my feet? What is going on!?'

She was about to call Granny but she can't even open her mouth. Jesus! Her whole body was frozen! She can't even blink her eyes.

What the f*ck is going on!?

What is this weird thing happening to me!?

She was trying to move any of her body parts but all her efforts fall in vain. She was panicking! It's the worst feeling in the world when she wanted to move her body but she can't and she can't even use her voice to ask for help! She's doomed!

She becomes a statue!

She felt utterly helpless!

She groaned, screamed, and shouted at the top of her lungs yet no voice come out from her mouth. She's getting frustrated in her paralyzed state.

A few minutes later.

Esmeralda was back in the clearing and was a surprise to see the silver box empty! And Kate was no longer under the shade of the tree!

"Where that girl has gone to!?"

She called out her name. "KATE...KATE...WHERE ARE YOUOOOOO!? COME BACK TO THE CLEARING NOW!" she ordered.

While under the shade of the tree. Kate was standing still, staring at her Granny, unable to move her body and speak a word.

She was confused. What the hell! Why Granny can't see her!? She was just standing right in front of her.

She attempted to shout at Granny to alert her of where she is, but she can't move her mouth!

Dammit, what's going on!?

She suddenly feels something is not right, as if someone is standing behind her! She was surrounded by thick darkness, she can't see anything, then gradually she loses consciousness.

On the other hand.

Esmeralda was staring at where Kate was standing, exactly at the place where she left her. Then she looked at the silver box and sweeps her eyes around her.

She closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply, trying to locate Kate's human scent.

She stayed in that position for a few minutes, unfortunately, she can no longer smell Kate's scent.

She's gone!

The girl didn't go away on her own.

She was abducted or taken away by someone?

But who could it be?

She knows that all creatures in the castle love to have human pets or eat human meat. Anybody could have snatched Kate while she went to check the movements of the bushes. But when she investigated the area in question, there's nothing in there.

There's no one in the bushes!

Dang!

That could be a trick to catch her unaware, leaving Kate vulnerable, an easy prey. Whoever behind all this, they diverted her attention deliberately!

Esmeralda released a deep sigh, she was shaking her head in frustration. "This is not good!" she bellowed.

Ivy is gone, taken away. And now Kate was also gone, due to her carelessness!

She loses both girls in just a short period.

Dammit!

Why is this happening!?

She raised her right hand and summoned the leaves to come to her.

A few seconds later, the leaves appeared in front of Esmeralda hovering in the air.

"Report!" she commanded them.

"We are very sorry, Esmeralda, we failed to locate Ivy's scent in this forest," the leader of the leaves spoke.

"How about, Kate? Did you able to smell her scent nearby? She disappeared in this forest as well!" she asked.

"We can't also locate Kate's human scent. Would you like us to continue looking for them in this forest?" the leader asked.

"Yes, do that. In the meantime, I'm going back to my house. If you found something, report to me immediately!" she ordered.

"Yes, Esmeralda!" the leader replied. And they scattered in every direction to find the two missing girls.

With a heavy heart, Esmeralda went inside the silver box to go back to her place.

She will return later to find the girls.