The maid led us through the castle's labyrinthine hallways, her footsteps hesitant as she guided us towards the east wing.
I could feel the tension radiating from Ciara beside me; her normally calm demeanour had been replaced with a steel-like resolve that only grew more intense with each step.
Lydia walked just behind us, her eyes scanning every dark corner, while Seraphine took up the rear, her fingers flexing as if she was ready to summon her powers at a moment's notice.
As we neared the end of a dimly lit corridor, the maid gestured towards a barely visible door tucked away in the shadows. "It's here," she whispered. "Nathaniel… he took her out through this passage. I swear, that's all I know."
Ciara nodded curtly. "Thank you. You may go."
The maid fled without a second glance, and we gathered at the door. The air was thick with the musty smell of damp stone and secrecy.
