The castle was too quiet.
Not in the comforting way, like when Kaelith had finally gone to sleep after a day of chewing on silver spoons and setting random objects aflame—but the kind of quiet that echoed.
That pressed down on her ears and settled in the spaces between her ribs. The kind of silence that reminded her that tomorrow, everything might change.
Elysia stood by the window of their guest room, watching moonlight spill across the inner courtyard like it was trying to soothe something unsoothable.
Behind her, Kaelith's cradle had been moved closer to their bed, just in case she needed them in the night. Again.
She hadn't made a sound in the last ten minutes. And that, more than anything, unnerved Elysia.
Kaelith rarely slept silently.
She fussed. She squeaked. She mumbled. Occasionally, she growled like a miniature wolf pup.
But not tonight.
Elysia turned to look.
Kaelith was lying on her back, eyes open, staring up at the canopy of the cradle.
