"You shouldn’t be here."
I froze mid-step. The voice came from the shadows behind the column to my left—calm, clear, and distinctly female.
I turned slowly, my heart kicking against my ribs. A woman stepped forward, her robes whispering against the stone floor. She looked young, but her eyes were old. Too old. Witches always looked like that—like time had been pressed into their bones.
"Just out for a walk," I said lightly, shrugging. "Stretching my legs."
She tilted her head, amused. "At this hour? Near the sealed archives?"
Damn it.
"Must’ve taken a wrong turn. These halls all look the same in the dark." I offered a smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes.
She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over me like a blade. “Lying doesn’t suit you, girl. You may fool the guards, but not us.”
