Aldric walked beside the maid in silence, though his thoughts were anything but still. Doubt lingered in him, stubborn and unrelenting, refusing to be quiet even as he followed her through the unfamiliar corridors of Valkoron's inner palace. He did not trust easily—not people, not places, and certainly not sudden changes that came without warning.
And yet… he had come.
They soon reached a set of grand double doors, tall and imposing,carved from dark oak and adorned with subtle engravings that marked them as belonging to royalty.
Two guards stationed on either side like unmoving statues carved from stone, their hands resting near the hilts of their weapons. Their armor gleamed faintly under the torchlight, and their gazes sharpened the moment they noticed him.
The maid—Nivea, if he remembered correctly—stepped forward before he could say anything. She leaned slightly toward the guards, speaking in hushed tones that did not quite reach his ears.
