The rhythmic thudding of my heart was the only audible testimony to the gravity of the situation, each beat echoing the precariousness of my position in the heart of a castle concealing secrets darker than the night itself.
**
The pale moon still held the sky as I tossed and turned in the oppressive grip of insomnia. The haunting shadows seemed to dance with the fear that lingered in my mind, conjured by the whispers of betrayal I had unwittingly overheard.
With the first hints of dawn on the horizon, I could no longer endure the claustrophobic confinement of my bed.
Silently navigating the castle's labyrinthine corridors, I descended the grand staircase, every step a delicate dance to avoid the creaking floorboards.
The royal kitchen, a realm I seldom visited, became my destination
