Guards that had been permanently stationed at the sides of the main door to the castle scrambled to open the doors for Tama to run in with Ayla on her back. They came to a skidding halt in the lobby and she jumped off Tama’s back as the creature also shrank in size to follow her. Stumbling up the stairs, Ayla darted down the winding halls before slamming herself through the doors of her father’s room.
Her father laid in his bed, his pale skin looking almost translucent, sweat covering his frame and making his hair and clothing stick to his skin. Thorin stood on the other side of the room while several servants were bustling in and out of the room.
Thorin pushed off the wall from his spot to come to her side and she looked around for anyone else, “Where is Ralnor? Why isn’t he seeing to m
