It wasn’t even midnight.<br/><br/>Andrei dragged himself to his feet, staggering a little and nearly falling over. The nausea was still there, as was the dizziness, but they were bearable. They had to be.  Because he could hear them plainly outside the Monk’s Hole. The rats. The rats, scurrying and creeping, seeking them for their master.<br/><br/>No, not them. Strahd didn’t care about him. He wanted the Lady Ireena.<br/><br/>As if on cue she shifted, waving him over to the cot.  He wanted to protest, wanted to plead his duty, but his head swam abd he nearly collapsed.  Bracing himself against the wall, he lowered himself onto the cot and smothered a jaw-cracking yawn.  “I fear I’ve failed you,” he said slowly. “All that we’ve done was... was for...”<br/><br/>Blinking, he jerked his head up from his chest. Had he fallen asleep?  The candle looked lower... or did it?  And Lady Reena hadn’t moved. Had she?  “Was... was for... nothing.”<br/><br/>Distantly, he heard the clock chime twice. But had he missed part of it?  What time was it?  “When, when dawn comes,” he said, “you should flee. Find refuge. The be...”. He bit the word off. “You cannot let him find you.”