We climbed the rough, twisting path up to the Ash Queen’s castle. The sky was streaked with purple and red as the sun dipped behind the jagged peaks. Elias walked right beside me, quiet but tense, gripping my hand like he was holding himself back from acting. Between us, the Ash Queen sat with her usual calm, her dark eyes scanning the land like a predator guarding its territory.
The castle rose out of the mountain like a shard of black glass, its towers sharp and crooked, casting long shadows over the valley. Guards stood everywhere as we got closer, their blackened armor carved with runes that glimmered faintly in the fading light. The closer we came, the tighter my chest felt. The whole place felt alive and waiting—like it was daring us to enter.
The carriage stopped at the main gates
