Chapter 42

• The stone corridors of the castle were dimly lit, the flickering torchlight casting long, eerie shadows along the walls. Aiden walked beside Lydia, his steps heavy with exhaustion, his mind burdened with regret. Behind them, the echoes of the feast still lingered, but the tension between them was suffocating.
• A maid, dressed in a simple brown tunic, led them silently through the halls. She glanced at them briefly before stopping at a wooden door, her head bowed in submission.
• "My lord, my lady," she murmured, pushing the door open. "This chamber has been prepared for your rest."