She’d opened the door.I felt it happen, the exact moment Delphine Ashwood’s hand touched the carved sigil deep within the West Tower. It reverberated through me, the sensation so sharp, so acute, it felt as though she'd touched a nerve directly beneath my skin. I closed my eyes briefly, jaw tightening against the flood of memories—and fears—that came rushing back.I hadn’t felt anything like that in decades. The castle hadn’t allowed it.“She found the vault,” I murmured to the empty air, barely daring to give voice to the words. Even spoken quietly, they felt dangerous, like an incantation that could awaken old ghosts.The tower’s shadows shifted as if responding, the stones beneath my feet pulsing softly, acknowledging the truth I’d been avoiding: Delphine wasn’t just another spellworker. The castle knew her, recognized her, had opened to her.A familiar, purposeful step echoed softly behind me—Valesa had arrived, punctual as ever. She paused quietly at my side, her presence both s
Last Updated : 2025-06-03 Read more