CHAPTER 36

Chills fluttered like restless sparrows across the earthen room, the air thick with the heady scents of incense and herbs.

Flickering candles cast eerie shadows over the surfaces, their golden light dancing across the walls as if trying to chase away the secrets that lurked within. Ancient shelves and cabinets groaned under the weight of potions, spell books, and mysterious artifacts, their contents spilling out in a riotous display of colour and curiosity.

A heavy-footed man lumbered into the labyrinthine space, his footsteps echoing off the walls as he made his way deeper into the room. With a reverence that bordered on fear, he knelt about three feet in, bowed in submission to the rear of a mid-aged woman who's whispering chants to an idol ensconced in a detached cubicle, its presence both captivating and intimidating.

“We lost him, my lady.” He declared, his voice heavy with defeat and his failure palpable.

She stopped chanting but didn't turn around.

“The King's men don't hav