The wind outside didn't just blow; it screamed, clawing at the stone walls of the castle like a dying thing.
Inside, the fire roared, but it couldn't warm the ice forming in Vaelith's veins.
He stood by the hearth, his back rigid, staring into the flames as if they held the answer to a question that made his blood boil.
"Captain Kaelen."
The door opened instantly.
Kaelen stepped in, sensing the shift in the air.
The Commander wasn't just angry; he was vibrating with a lethal, suppressed rage."
You sent for me, Commander.
"Vaelith didn't turn.
His voice was a low growl.
"The evening meal.
"A pause.
The fire crackled, popping sparks that died instantly in the cold air.
"The same arrangement."Kaelen hesitated.
He knew what that meant. He knew the rumors.
He knew the dark
