As I walked down the hallway, the sound of my footsteps echoed faintly against the stone walls, each soft tap mixing with the dim hum of magic lamps overhead. My thoughts felt heavy—so heavy they almost dragged behind me like a long cloak dragging dirt along the floor. They tangled around each other, forming knots that refused to loosen. I had so many things on my mind already, and the last thing I needed was another complication.
But then… something shifted.
It was small at first, like a change in the air. The kind of subtle disturbance you only feel when your instincts have been trained to react. The hairs on the back of my neck lifted slowly, prickling as though a cold gust of wind had blown through a room that was supposed to be sealed shut. My steps faltered just a little. I couldn't shake the uncomfortable sensation crawling down my spine.
Someone was following me.
