Kate sighed. "I\'m sorry sister, I can\'t go back to those bloodsuckers, over my dead body," she replied quickly.

Ivy\'s heart was breaking inside. She was hoping her sister will favor her and understand her situation but her hope was crushed at this very moment.

"Would they kill you if you go back without me?" asked Kate worriedly.

Ivy is not sure about that, the only thing she was aware of, was the knowledge that the vampire brothers\' love for her blood. Therefore it will be a big loss on their part if they will kill her. They will keep her alive as long she is beneficial to them.

"I think not. They want my blood and yours. They will keep me alive somehow," she responded. "But I want us to be together in one place, but you are not cooperating with me. We will be separated again after I go back to the vampires\' territory. That\'s why I\'m sad," she added.

Kate breathed deeply. "Stay with me here in Granny\'s place. We will no longer be separated again," she said.

Ivy shook her head. "As much as I wanted to, I can\'t. The poison in my body will get activated soon and I will die. I need to stay alive so that I can still see the day when we get out of this castle alive!" she said with the fire of determination flashing in her eyes.

Kate was shaking her head gloomily not liking the false hope that the vampires were installing in her sister\'s head. "Sis, you are no longer upset and angry that I won\'t go with you?" she inquired.

Ivy smiled for the first time after crying a river. "I\'m no longer upset. I came to realize that I can\'t force you to accept my opinion and belief. You are a grown-up adult now, capable of deciding for yourself. I guess I\'m getting into terms with the new you and starting to get used to it."

Tears shone in Kate\'s eyes, she was fighting back tears from falling. "It\'s not that I\'m old enough to decide for myself and I no longer listen to you. But as you can see, those bloodsuckers are just using us. While Granny Esmeralda never hurt an inch of my skin. It\'s not hard to figure out whom to trust during these difficult times," she reasoned out wisely.

Ivy smiled again. "You\'re getting wiser in your choices, sis. I\'m proud of what you become. I\'m happy that you met a kind Granny who is ready to protect you. I wish that I also met Granny Esmeralda when I arrive at this castle. Things would have been different," she said wistfully.

"But on the other hand, I\'m glad and grateful enough that you are saved by Esmeralda. She will take care of you and protect you from harm. Don\'t worry, if one day, Maxwell\'s vision will begin to materialize I\'ll come back for you and take you to safety. We should not lose hope and give up our freedom quickly. Okay?" she added.

Kate ran her hand through her hair and looked heavenward, she prevented herself from rolling her eyes. Her sister has strong beliefs in Maxwell\'s vision. But she doesn\'t want to argue with her about the authenticity of that vision. Their arguments will have no end when it comes to that topic.

Ivy eyed her sister\'s face closely. Kate is not buying Maxwell\'s vision. It doesn\'t matter to her anymore. She released a deep sigh. "Sis, when that time comes, and Maxwell\'s vision will become a reality...would you go with me back to our village?"

The moment Kate heard her sister mentioned about their village, her face brightened up. "Of course I\'ll go with you! That would be great! You will also bring along Granny and the tree to escape with us, okay?"

Ivy surveyed Kate\'s expectant face, she can\'t afford to dampen the enthusiasm on her sibling\'s face. "Of course, we will bring Granny and the tree out of this castle too!" she said with a smile.

"You have to promise me!" Kate ordered.

"Yes, I swear to God in heaven. We will leave this castle one day, the four of us!" Ivy made an oath.

Kate hugged her sister warmly. "Well, you don\'t have to stay in the vampires\' territory for long, sis. You only need to say the word and Granny Esmeralda will find a way how to save you from the bloodsuckers clutches," she whispered.

Ivy was thinking about it. But then, if she will stay under Esmeralda\'s place and Maxwell\'s vision will come to materialize, she will lose the chance to save herself and her sister. She needs to stay in the vampires\' lair so that she will be updated on the brothers\' lofty ambition to escape the castle.

Right now, the vampire brothers are her only hope in getting out of the castle alive since Esmeralda was adamant that the castle simply won\'t allow anyone to escape alive, even she, the guardian of the castle herself can\'t get out alive.

Kate inspected her sister\'s face. "Sis, why are you not answering me? You don\'t want to be saved by Granny?" she asked.

Ivy tapped her fingers on the wooden bench. "Nah, no need. I\'ve been thankful for Granny Esmeralda for saving and protecting you this far. I no longer wish to add myself to her problems and responsibility. It\'s enough for me that she can ensure your safety, for that, I\'m already satisfied and forever thankful to her."

Kate pouted. "Why are you being stubborn again? Why are you turning away Granny\'s help?" she asked her face turned sour.

Ivy shook her head. "Calm down, my dear sister. Listen to me first, you know about the deadly poison in my body, right?"

Kate nodded her head. "Yes..." she replied in a low voice.

Ivy wrapped her arm around her sister\'s shoulder. "Listen carefully. The poison in my body can be activated to kill me anytime under Maxwell\'s direct order. Even if Granny will come to the vampires\' lair and rescue me, she is powerless to get the poison out of my body. Maxwell will get furious and he will activate the poison in my body, I will end up dead and Granny\'s efforts will end in vain and she will feel bad and guilty about it. Do you want that to happen to me and Granny?"

Kate was speechless. Dang! She wasn\'t thinking about the consequences of her wishes. It only appears good in her brain but once it will happen for real the result would be disastrous. Now that her sister explained it so well, she began to understand her point of view, she\'s making sense!

After the awareness comes profound sadness for the sisters, tears shimmered in their eyes.

"There\'s no way out for you, sis?" Kate asked sadly.

Ivy nodded her head, sighing gloomily. "Yes. I\'m under Maxwell\'s control now. He has the absolute power to end my life anytime he likes. So, it\'s not wise to anger him if I want to live longer. I hope you understand now, sis."

Kate groaned painfully and took a deep breath. She bit her lip in frustrations. She was deeply saddened that it\'s happening to her elder sister and there\'s no hope in the horizon for her. She can\'t even help her. She feels so damn helpless inside.

Ivy patted her sister\'s shoulder affectionately. "We are in a different world now, sis. This world is so vastly different from our life in the village. Here inside the castle, we are surrounded by powerful creatures and we are just ordinary human beings subjected to their will and whim. If we want to live longer we need to adapt and cater to their whim. We need to survive today to continue living the next day."

Kate fully understood her sister\'s statement. "I guess you are right, we can\'t insist our own will inside this castle, we must bend for those who are powerful and above us or else we will be inflicted by endless torture and quick death," she agreed.

Ivy smiled sadly.

"I\'m glad that you are now starting to see things in a whole new different light. This is our new normal, it happened a long time ago we refused to accept that we are living in a new world and we must adhere to changes or else we won\'t be able to see the new day. Now that we are given this chance to see each other again, we might as well take this opportunity to bond well. We are running out of time. I only have a few days left with my stay here, so, let\'s stop arguing and try not to get upset with each other. We will just make the best out of the little time that is left for us..." Ivy said.

Kate smiled feeling a bit lightheaded. Her elder sister has a way with words that can make her feel better. "Thank you, sis! Your explanation opened my eyes and help me see everything outside the box!"

Ivy smiled and patted her sister\'s head fondly.

Esmeralda exited the door of the house and examined the girls\' countenance. She noticed the smile on their faces, hmm, they must have resolved their differences and looks like they already put an end to their conflicts. Good!

Smiling and very much pleased with the result, she went to the girls\' side. "So, have you two finally settled your problems?"

Ivy nodded her head. "Yes we are, Granny," she replied.

"And what could it be?" Esmeralda asked curiously eager to know what the sisters have agreed upon.

"My sister and I agreed that she will go back to the vampires\' lair and I will stay here with you," Kate answered casually.

Esmeralda glanced at the elder sister for confirmation.

"Yes, Granny, we finally come to terms with the fact that there are some things that we can\'t control so...yeah... It\'s for the best that we will get separated for now but one day in the future we will get reunited again," Ivy finally concluded with an optimistic look flashing in her eyes.

Esmeralda likes the fire of hope illuminating in Ivy\'s eyes. That kind of fire would come in handy to her in the future. "Alright, let\'s celebrate!" she said jovially.