***CONRY***

Returning to my room, the weight of the night finally settled on my shoulders. The visit to Blake had drained more out of me than I cared to admit. My head ached, my body sore from travel, but it was the memories of the day that truly tired me.

I sank onto my bed with a quiet sigh. The sheets were cool against my skin, grounding. For a moment, I just stared at the ceiling, watching the faint shadows from the torches dance across the stone. The castle had grown silent; even the air ...