***CONRY***
Returning to my room, the weight of the night finally settled on my shoulders. The visit to Blake had drained more out of me than I cared to admit. My head ached, my body sore from travel, but it was the memories of the day that truly tired me.
I sank onto my bed with a quiet sigh. The sheets were cool against my skin, grounding. For a moment, I just stared at the ceiling, watching the faint shadows from the torches dance across the stone. The castle had grown silent; even the air seemed to rest.
A gentle knock broke the stillness.
“You called for me,” a familiar voice said softly through the door.
“Come in,” I replied.
The door creaked open, and Esther stepped in. She moved with the same calm grace she always had — a kind of peace that followed her like a scent. Since my
