Back in the castle, the kitchen was busy with the sound of pots and boiling broth. But underneath the noise, the mood was tensed.
"Did you feel it?" Gilda, the head cook, whispered as she stirred a pot. "That shock that run through Vargorath. I thought the walls would fall."
One of the maids nodded quickly. "Everyone felt it. My knees almost gave out."
Another maid leaned closer. "You know what I heard? When it happened, Lady Moriel ran out of the second general's quarters."
Gilda paused. "Moriel? Lord Fanning's wife?"
"Yes," the maid said, lowering her voice. "She was barely dressed and her hair was loose."
The second maid snorted. "She was sleeping with another woman's husband?"
"Hush," Gilda warned, though she didn't hide her interest. "These walls have ears."
The first maid went back to her chopping. "Well, I always thought something was off about her. She smiled too sweetly."
The other maid scoffed. "You say that now. Last moon you were praising her dresses."
