The heavy wooden doors of the stronghold creaked open, the sound echoing through the dimly lit corridors like a harbinger of doom. Ava stood at the threshold, her heart pounding in her chest, a bitter chill settling in her bones. This was her sanctuary, her place of power, and yet, the walls that once offered her protection now felt like a prison. She had faced enemies more times than she could count, but the knowledge of the betrayal that awaited her inside twisted her insides like a knife.
The familiar faces of her inner circle greeted her as she stepped into the council chamber. The room was suffused with a low light, shadows dancing on the stone walls, reflecting the turmoil within her. She searched their faces, looking for some sign of who had betrayed her, who had chosen to sell her out. But they were all masks, blank and unreadable, leaving her to grapple with the uncertainty that gnawed at her like a starving beast.
