Stella
The castle felt too bright for what was happening inside my head.
Sunlight spilled through tall windows and made the marble floors gleam like nothing in the world could rot. Servants passed with neat baskets of linens. Guards stood at attention in polished armor. Someone laughed in a corridor two turns away—an easy sound, careless, normal.
My skin didn't believe any of it.
Caspian walked beside me with the quiet restraint he wore when he was holding himself together on purpose. Not because he wasn't afraid—because he didn't want my fear to have company.
Hunter followed on my other side, shoulders squared, scanning every alcove and shadow like the castle was suddenly foreign territory.
Serenity stayed close, neither calm nor panicked—just watchful.
"This is the part you'll try
