The interior of the castle was stunning.
The moment Darion stepped fully inside, he understood immediately that the outside had only shown part of it.
The entrance halls alone looked wealthier than entire sections of Percvale.
The walls were decorated with polished stone and dark wood worked into careful designs that stretched along the corridors in elegant patterns. Banners hung between tall windows, each carrying the crest of Thandor stitched in silver thread.
Even the lighting felt different. Instead of the dim torchlight Percvale relied on during evenings, iron lanterns with glass coverings hung neatly from the walls, giving the place a cleaner and steadier glow.
The floors beneath their boots were smooth stone, polished enough that faint reflections appeared when servants carrying trays hurried past them.
Darion found himself looking around more than he intended to.
