Eira shifted slightly, the cold metal of the shackles a harsh reminder of her captivity. Yet despite the darkness and uncertainty, her voice remained steady and warm as she spoke to the trembling girl beside her.
"It's good to know you're okay," Eira said softly. "When did they bring you here?"
The girl swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper but steady despite the tremble. "Two days ago… just before they brought you here. I was walking with my parents when suddenly—two people grabbed me. They… they kidnapped me."
Eira's brows knit in concern. "What about your parents?"
The girl shivered violently, clutching at the chains binding her wrists. "I don't know… I don't know. They just… ignored me. Like I wasn't even there. I couldn't make a sound, and they just walked away. I don't understand why."
Eira's mind quickly pieced things together. "Maybe they were under a curse," she suggested carefully.
The girl's voice shook with terror. "What kind of curse was it? Did they hurt her? Or—oh, please—not worse… I just don't want to see them hurt her."
Eira took a deep breath, trying to steady both their nerves. "It's probably a curse that makes people ignore someone—like a blindness spell, but for the mind. Since they didn't react or try to help, they should be safe. You don't need to worry about them."
The girl exhaled slowly, the tension in her body easing just a fraction.
"Yes, yes, you are right. I read about something like this—yes, certainly it's like that," the girl murmured shakily, steadying her voice. "A few minutes ago, they were talking in French. I didn't understand what they were saying. From what I gathered, they were certainly talking loudly and angrily."
Eira's eyes darkened with resolve. "They were talking about me, actually. Their mission was to kidnap me. Unfortunately, they grabbed you by mistake."
The girl let out a shaky sigh.
Eira's voice softened. "I'm sorry… because of me, you're stuck in this."
For a long moment, the girl was silent, then asked quietly, "Why did they kidnap you?"
Eira replied with a calm voice. "Because I have enemies. People who want to use me as a pawn—who believe that capturing me will give them power over others."
The girl's voice quivered as she tried to grasp the situation. "So… so what now? Are they going to do something to us? And… and why did you… I heard the name—a familiar name—'Eira White'—a lot during their conversation. Are you… are you perhaps Eira White?"
Eira let out a weary sigh. "Yes. I am."
The girl let out a surprised breath. "Oh… I didn't think I'd get kidnapped by someone mistaken for Eira White."
A small, soft giggle escaped Eira's lips.
The girl's voice was tinged with disbelief and a hint of irritation. "You can even laugh at this situation?"
Eira's smile warmed the cold space. "Oh, don't worry about that. I won't let them do anything to us. You have to believe in me. I'll get us out of here, okay?"
The girl's voice held a trace of doubt as she replied, "Oh yeah? I hope so. I'm sure you will… but have you seen yourself? Your whole body is locked up. Chains everywhere."
Eira laughed softly, the sound of her laughter was like a small flame of light in the darkness.
'At least now, 'she thought to herself, 'she's not trembling in fear anymore. The mood has lightened.'
And for a brief moment, the cold shadows around them seemed just a little less heavy.