Chapter 5: The Devil You Know.

Elena/Ileana Pov.

It had been three days since my strange encounter with the masked stranger, and I had exactly four more days to lay low before leaving this Godforsaken place.

Four days.

I could survive that long. After all, I had survived far worse.

I pushed open the door leading from the staff gym into the main corridor, dressed in a black sports bra, matching leggings, and white trainers. Sweat trickled down the back of my neck, and my raven-black hair was tied into a high ponytail. A white towel rested around my neck, and a strawberry lollipop sat between my lips.

My muscles ached pleasantly from the workout.

When I had first arrived in this body, even standing for too long had been exhausting. Now, after weeks of proper meals and consistent physical training, I was finally beginning to regain some of my strength.

I still wasn’t anywhere near my former physical condition, but progress was progress.

Besides, I had bigger things to worry about.

Like money.

I needed somewhere to stay, clothes that didn’t come from an asylum wardrobe, and enough resources to establish myself properly in Italy. I could have simply disappeared into the city, but that would have been foolish. Leaving without the necessary preparations would only create unnecessary problems.

Which brought me back to Dr. Vane.

The pathetic excuse for a doctor was so terrified of me that I was beginning to consider him a personal financial resource.

The thought made me chuckle softly around my lollipop.

Perhaps I should ask him to fund my lifestyle until I get back on my feet. It wasn’t as though he could afford to refuse.

I had barely turned the corner when two men standing near the opposite wall caught my attention. More accurately, their conversation caught my attention.

"That’s her," one whispered.

I continued walking without slowing down.

"The girl I told you about. The one who came back from the dead and killed a doctor."

A scoff followed. "Her? Please. She’s barely bigger than a child."

I rolled the lollipop around in my mouth and kept walking.

"Shut up. You don’t want to get on her bad side."

"Why? Is she going to glare me to death?"

I almost smiled. It was always amusing when people mistook a small body for a harmless one. Apparently, my reputation hadn’t reached every corner of Saint Aurelia yet.

That was about to change.

Heavy footsteps sounded behind me.

"Hey, sweetheart!"

I ignored him.

"Hey! I’m talking to you."

Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t in the mood to entertain idiots.

A hand suddenly caught my shoulder and spun me around. I glared up at the man in front of me. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and considerably larger than I was. A few days ago, he might have found that physical difference reassuring.

Today, it was going to be his biggest mistake.

"Move," I said, my voice cold and flat.

He laughed right in my face. "Or what?"

I punched him straight in the throat.

His laughter turned into a strangled gasp. He staggered backward, both hands flying to his neck as he struggled to draw a breath. Before he could recover, I caught his wrist, twisted his arm sharply behind his back, and forced him forward.

He stumbled, dropping heavily to one knee.

I leaned closer to his ear. "You must be new here."

He made a weak, choking sound.

"You should listen to your friend over there," I whispered, tightening my grip until he hissed in pain. "I do not like being bothered. Otherwise you'll find yourself replacing Doctor Vane on the steel table."

I shoved him away and let him go.

He stumbled across the floor, coughing violently and clutching his throat. For a moment, I thought he had learned his lesson.

Then he recovered, his face turning red with humiliation and anger.

"You little bitch!" he snarled, lunging at me.

I sighed internally. Some people were truly determined to make their own lives difficult.

He swung a wild punch. I sidestepped his first swing, but his sheer size gave him a longer reach than I was used to dealing with in this body. His fist grazed my shoulder, sending a sharp ache down my arm.

Annoying. Very annoying.

I ducked beneath his next strike and drove my elbow hard into his ribs. He grunted, but managed to grab the back of my top before I could pull away. I twisted around, drove my knee straight into his stomach, and tore myself free.

He doubled over, wheezing.

I grabbed his collar and slammed him against the wall. His head struck the surface with a dull thud.

"Didn't I tell you to leave me alone?" I asked.

He spat something unintelligible and swung at me again.

That was his final mistake.

I caught his arm, used his momentum to throw him off balance, and sent him crashing hard to the floor. Without wasting a second, I climbed over him, pinning him down, and started punching him in the face.

Once.

Twice.

He tried to shield himself with his hands, but I caught his wrist and pinned it beside his head.

"You really don't listen, do you?" I muttered.

I punched him again. Blood trickled from his nose, staining the clean floor beneath his face.

Somewhere behind me, someone shouted in panic. I ignored it and delivered another punch. He groaned, trying desperately to twist away from me.

"Miss Ileana!"

I kept my eyes fixed on the man beneath me and drew my fist back.

"Miss Ileana!"

This time, the voice was much closer.

I turned my head just enough to see Dr. Vane standing several feet away. His face had gone completely pale. For a moment, he simply stared at the bloody man pinned beneath me. Then his terrified gaze lifted to mine.

"Miss Ileana."

I glared at him coldly.

He immediately shuffled backward, raising his hands.

"Doctor Vane," I said, turning my attention back to the whimpering man beneath me. "You know I don't like to be bothered."

"I know," Dr. Vane stammered quickly. "I know, but..."

I slowly removed the white towel from around my neck, using it to clean the blood off my knuckles. "It had better be important."

I pushed myself off the floor and straightened. This body was small, especially beside Dr. Vane, who towered over me. Still, the look in my eyes made him shrink back.

The man on the floor groaned, curling into a ball and clutching his bruised face. I looked down at him once more.

"Next time, listen to your friend."

I turned back to the doctor. "Well?"

Dr. Vane swallowed hard, his throat bobbing nervously. He looked deeply uncomfortable standing in front of me, but he forced the words out.

"Miss Ileana, your family is here."

My hand paused against the towel.

I frowned, tilting my head slightly to the side as my emerald green eyes locked onto his.

"What for?"

Dr. Vane hesitated for a second before giving me the answer.

"They are here to take you home."