The marketplace was bustling with activity as Aelric made his way through the narrow streets, speaking with villagers and listening to their concerns. Despite the festive banners still hanging from the victory celebrations, there was an undercurrent of unease. People kept glancing over their shoulders, their voices hushed as they talked in small groups.
Aelric stopped by a fruit vendor who was arranging bruised apples on a wooden cart. "Good morning," he said, offering a warm smile. "I was hoping you could help me."
The vendor looked up, his face lined with worry. "Help? I'm not sure how much I can offer, my lord."
"I'm just asking questions," Aelric said gently. "Have you noticed anything unusual recently? Strange noises, unfamiliar faces?"
The man hesitated, then nodded. "Last night, I heard something by the eastern gate. Footsteps, like someone was sneaking around. But when I went to look, no one was there."
"Did you see anything else? Anything left behind?" Aelric pressed.
The vendor shook his head. "Nothing. Just the feeling that… something wasn't right."
Thanking the man, Aelric moved on to speak with others. A pattern began to emerge: strange occurrences near the gates, whispers carried by the wind, and fleeting shadows that seemed to vanish as soon as they were noticed. The stories all pointed to the same conclusion the darkness was closer than anyone had realized.
As he rounded a corner, Aelric spotted an older man sitting on a low stone wall, gripping a staff with gnarled hands. A younger woman knelt beside him, her face etched with concern.
Aelric approached slowly. "Excuse me. I'm Aelric, and I'm here to help. Can you tell me what's troubling you?"
The old man looked up, his cloudy eyes filled with fear. "The shadows," he whispered. "They're everywhere. They're watching."
"Watching from where?" Aelric asked, crouching down to meet the man's gaze.
The younger woman answered for him, her voice quiet. "He's been saying it for days. He hears whispers at night, coming from the west wing of the castle."
Aelric's stomach tightened. "The west wing? Are you sure?"
She nodded. "He's not the only one. Others have heard them too. But no one wants to speak up."
The old man gripped his staff tighter, his knuckles white. "The darkness is inside the castle."
Aelric's heart raced as he thanked them and made his way back toward the castle. He found Lyra and Seraphina in the training yard, deep in conversation.
"We have a problem," he said, explaining what the villagers had told him.
Seraphina's expression darkened. "If the whispers are coming from inside the castle, then someone's been working from the shadows all along."
Lyra frowned. "The west wing… That's where the councilors stay."
Aelric nodded, his voice firm. "Tonight, we're going to find out what's really happening."