The sky was black, the winds harsh, and moonlight fell on the walls of the castle. Ruby's library stayed well-lit with her lamps and chandeliers. But her chair or couch made comfortable to please her did nothing to ease her pain and agonizing thoughts.
The Queen paced back and forth in her drawing room, the hem of her gown trailing behind her, making soft rustling sounds against the floor. Her footsteps echoed lightly in the otherwise silent chamber, save for the occasional creak of the wooden panels. Clara and Lydia stood nearby, watching her with concern. The tension in the air was suffocating, their own nerves evident in the way their hands fidgeted or the way they stole glances at one another. Ruby, however, paid them no mind, her mind too preoccupied with the events unfolding beyond
