The air grew colder as we entered the castle grounds, the shadow of the towering stone walls swallowing us whole. I looked up, my gaze tracing the jagged edges of the fortress silhouetted against the sky. The castle itself was an imposing structure, with heavy iron-banded doors and narrow windows barely wide enough for an arrow to slip through. It was as if it had been built to keep the world out—and those inside, trapped.
Inside, the walls were lined with damp stone, and the sound of our footsteps echoed down the narrow corridors. Each step deeper into the castle felt like an inch closer to hell, and I could feel my pulse quicken with every step.
At the end of the hallway, Helios stopped and turned toward us, his gaze hard and unfeeling. He gestured to some palace guards standing there,
