Despite herself, Selene screamed, running so fast down the corridor that her feet keep slipping on the freshly waxed marble floor. 

"Help!" She shrieked, slipping once again and rounding a corner, running straight into Winter.

"Selene?" Winter gasped, grasping onto Selene's wrist. "What's wrong?"

Selene panted frantically. "Help... a shell..." 

"A shell?!"

Selene nodded desperately. "After me! I walked out of my closet and there was a boy, with a crazy look in his eyes, standing there with a knife in his hand! He tried to stab me, and I.. tried to manipulate him to stop, but he... he's a shell!" 

Selene screamed again and tugged at Winter's wrist. "Winter! Run!" 

Winter turned and saw a boy only a few years older than them, standing there with a long, razor sharp kitchen knife in his hand. His eyes were crazed with fear and anger and... greed?

"The... princess. I have to kill the princess. That's what she told me. You'd work too, right?" The boy said to Winter. Winter took a step back, raising her hands in front of her. Suddenly, she felt Selene's grip on her wrist loosen. 

"Wait... Selene!" She screamed as Selene stepped behind the boy, pulling his arms back out of their sockets from behind  and sweeping her leg against the back of his shins all in no more than three seconds.

"You can go after me and die quickly, but talk to Winter like that or try to hurt her and I'll make you suffer through a long and excruciating death." Selene hissed, dropping him to the ground. He screamed with the pain of his newly dislocated arms and dropped his knife. Selene picked it up and landed a kick square to the back of his head. He fell on his face, whimpering, as Levana and several thaumaturges rounded the corner and gasped at the scene. 

"Selene- what happened?! A shell?!" Levana exclaimed, rushing over to where Selene stood.

"This boy tried to hurt me and Winter. Make sure his execution is long and painful. I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it."  Selene tossed the knife over her shoulder and started  walking away. Winter reached out to touch her shoulder, still shocked by Selene's display. She was only nine, but she was fierce.

"Selene-"

Selene shook off Winters hand. "It's okay. Don't worry about anything."

Winter watched Selene stalk off. She was turning into something that no one could have anticipated.

Not that Winter was complaining.