Andrew stacked the documents on his desk, rubbing his temples as the dim candle flickered in the quiet study room.
The night had stretched long, and exhaustion pulled at his muscles, but his mind was still sharp—focused. As he stepped out of the room, the cool air of the castle corridors greeted him, the faint sound of the wind whistling through the stone halls. The torches along the walls cast long, shifting shadows, their glow barely illuminating the path ahead. Hells clinking and echoing against the large black walls.
As he descended the stairs, his sharp eyes caught sight of a lone figure leaning casually against a pillar near the great hall. Darius. Arms crossed, his dark cloak barely distinguishable in the low light, he watched Andrew with that ever-present, unreadable smirk.
And
