Elinor felt stupid and scared as she squeezed herself into a narrow passage and walked towards the fresh breeze blowing in her face. She didn’t have the heart to walk into the manor itself through the doors, even though she knew the place had been abandoned long ago.

She drew a deep breath as she emerged from the passage, glad that she was out in the air again. Elinor looked around and discovered herself to be in a (humongous!) garden. Tall, overgrown hedges towered over her, resembling leafy colossi as she walked below them.

“Lisha!” Elinor hissed into the night, cupping her mouth with her hands to amplify the sound in a certain direction.

When there was no answer, Elinor loosed a curse and tried hard not to pull at her hair.

“Dammit! Where could she be…?”

What might have turned into a rant was cut off when Elinor heard something rustle behind her.

Horror prickling at her scalp, Elinor turned slowly to face a part of the bushes that was moving of its own accord.

The bushes parted.