The halls twisted and turned, and I wasn’t sure how many times I’d already walked the same one. I used the guards’ dismissal though to fuel my rage, and I didn’t give up as I pushed forward through the labyrinthine castle. The hallways were grand and numerous, and for all I knew, I could be walking towards the stables. The guards’ conversation had implied the tower was a major architectural feature, but elven architecture was proving to be intentionally confusing. A design, I assumed, meant to protect the ruling family.
I needed direction, and I needed it now. Every passing minute brought the solstice alignment closer to its peak…and to Valerius’s ritual.
I risked running, keeping my head low and my shoulders hunched. I tried to appear like a servant, rushing to finish a task. I passed
