It was the next day.
After yesterday's conversation, after Elunara's sharp words and the uncomfortable truths she had pressed on them, Emma and Evelyn had decided—if only reluctantly—to try and be a bit more understanding. If nothing else, they could use this time to learn from the Queen herself, who seemed willing, almost eager, to teach them.
The morning came quietly. They woke, ate a simple but refreshing breakfast, and dressed themselves in proper clothes. Servants guided them without a word, leading them deeper into the castle than they had ever been before.
It was strange. Every step they took away from the outer halls made their curiosity rise. The path turned narrow, winding into the very heart of the fortress. Five minutes of walking, past one corridor after another, until the guards stopped at a door that looked unlike any they had seen. Its frame was engraved with curling patterns of flowers and trees, as though life itself had taken root in the wood.
