*Silas*

My body ached with the weariness of the past several days. I felt pins and needles spiking through me, making me feel as though my joints needed a good greasing. I walked away from the courtyard, passing the gardens. For a moment, I thought I had heard voices coming from beyond the row of hedges, but as the night became full, I blamed it on my tired mind.

I walked through the main entrance of the castle, past the kitchens and the storage rooms, and then down ...