Rowan.
The castle hallways felt warmer as I walked beside Melody. The stone beneath our feet seemed to echo louder than usual, a constant reminder of the tension hanging in the air. It was almost too quiet, the kind of silence that made everything feel too fragile.
Melody walked beside me, her hands still bound behind her, the silver chains clinking softly with each step. Her head was held high, but I could see the weariness in her shoulders, the way her eyes flicked around the corridors like she was still trying to figure out where the trap was hidden. She hadn't spoken since I handed her the parchment. She hadn't even looked at me since she read it. I didn't expect her to, but I was still waiting for the words that would break the silence.
