What secrets are hidden inside of you?
Absolute darkness overtook her moments later; Irina had no time to contemplate the meaning behind the words spoken to her by the black goddess before she hit the mucky earth. Her entire body was as cold as ice; so much so that she swore death had taken her. But she was still alive.
When she woke again, she heard faint voices echoing around her. The mask on her face dug into her skin as she lay on her side in a heap on the stone floor. Where was she? A sleep-induced haze blinded her from seeing at the moment, but she was free to move. Irina rolled onto her back with a grunt; some of her bones cracked in protest. Her head was a hurricane of pain and incoherent thought as she struggled to make complete sense of her situation. The big question was: why was she alive?
A high-pitched laugh made her head thump as someone leaned over her.
"Rise and shine," the voice said with a cackle.
Irina swatted at the source but hit nothing but air.
"Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up," they ordered.
She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them, and tried to focus. A shape began to form, then moments later, an inhuman face. Irina gasped in alarm. The voice came from a doll robed in a wedding dress. Its neck cracked as it leaned its head to the side. Irina wasn't sure it was real – perhaps a figment of her imagination – but it appeared to be staring at her. She shivered in fear; the hunk of wood and lace was creeping her out.
"I'm gonna have fun with you," the doll remarked.
A boot came into her line of sight and kicked at the doll. It shrieked as it backed away.
"Fuck off," someone familiar shouted.
Irina leaned her head back and was relieved to see Heisenberg. He ignored her as he bickered with the doll, taking a seat on a church pew near her. Easing into a sitting position, Irina took a quick look around the room. She was both terrified and in awe at what she witnessed.
Mother Miranda in all her unholy glory stood in silence at the pinnacle of the room – akin to a church or a medieval stronghold – as she oversaw the exchanges of the four Lords. The dollmaker, Beneviento sat in a chair to her right, dressed in black with her wooden terror sitting in her lap. Down from her, in a massive chair sat Dimitrescu, who turned up her nose at Heisenberg in front of her. He had yet to acknowledge Irina, but she understood that he was covering his ass by ignoring her. Standing in the shadows behind him was Moreau; she was more surprised that the rumors about him were correct, as opposed to his actual appearance.
Even though she was confused about their sudden meeting, the Lords being in the company of Miranda was expected, but she never thought in a million years she'd see the Duke with her.
He sat on the corner of the stage, smoking a cigar as he ogled at Dimitrescu. Irina choked on a snort; of course, he was himself even in the face of danger. But what was he doing here? Wherever here was.
"W-why am I alive?" She was so confused.
Miranda brought up her hand and hushed the room.
"Remove that mask. I want to see your face."
Irina was hesitant but did as she commanded. Angering Miranda was not on her to-do list. The mask rested in her lap as she eased back her hood and revealed her face to the room.
Dimitrescu hummed.
"With a proper bath and some minor alterations, she would make a fine addition to my castle,"
Heisenberg snorted.
"Is sating your big appetite all you think about?"
She shot him a heated look.
