A Friend in the Dark
He placed a hand on the handle.
Paused.
And then—
He opened it.
The hall outside was dim. Wind pushed through the corridor, making torches shiver.
Something—or someone—waited beyond the light.
William's gaze sharpened.
He didn't step out.
He only whispered:
"…Interesting."
---
William slowly straightened his posture.
His shoulders rolled back with effortless grace, spine aligning like a blade drawn from its sheath. The casual laziness faded from his stance and was replaced by something ancient, refined, and dangerous. A noble predator recognizing another.
He inclined his head just slightly—just enough to be polite, not enough to be submissive.
"Isn't this an extreme honor," William said calmly, voice smooth as velvet, "Prince of the Skyfall Kingdom?"
The shadows at the end of the corridor flickered.
Light bent strangely.
The torches fluttered, their flames twisting unnaturally as if being pulled by invisible wind.
Then—
Footsteps.
Slow.
