Footsteps echoed down the darkened hallway of the castle, slow and deliberate, each step carrying a weight that sent a chill through the air. Somewhere in the distance, the soft hum of the evening wind could be heard through the cracks of the old stone walls. The flicker of candlelight illuminated the tall, imposing figure of Harden Fernandez as he made his way toward the room at the end of the hall.
The door creaked open, and he stepped inside, his eyes scanning the dimly lit space where a group of men and women waited. Their faces were obscured by shadows, but the tension in the room was palpable.
"It seems the king has a new weakness," Harden said, his voice low and sharp. He leaned against the large oak table in the center of the room, arms folded across his chest. “And her name is I
