Startled by the eerie noise, Elias instinctively conjured a crimson blade in his hand, his blood magic at the ready.
His eyes darted around the brightly lit room, which remained conspicuously empty.
The sound, as quickly as it had appeared, ceased, leaving Elias certain it wasn't his imagination.
He had distinctly heard a strange, squelching sound, as if something was moving inside the room.
Determined, Elias searched Olivia's room for any hidden spaces or secret chambers, tapping on walls to find hollow spots, but found nothing.
His heartbeat quickened with each fruitless search. What was Olivia up to?
Finally, Elias gave the room one last glance before stepping out into the night.
The manor was still as quiet as ever, the moonlight casting a tranquil scene over the wheat fields outside.
It should have been serene, yet Elias felt an unsettling eeriness.
