Shadows Beneath the Crown
"Let's go," he said quietly.
The guard nodded. Together, they stepped out of the courtyard, their silhouettes swallowed by the deepening dusk.
The long corridor stretched ahead, dimly lit by the flicker of torches that hissed against the chill air. The silence between them was thick—neither spoke, but both felt the weight of what lingered unsaid. Ben walked with slow, deliberate steps, his face caught between a faint, grim smile and the heaviness that shadowed his eyes.
The sound of their boots echoed down the hall—measured, steady, and final.
When he finally spoke, his voice was quiet, almost weary. "What a day for news," he muttered, half to himself.
