The inside of the castle was big, impossibly big.
The walls towered above us, wide enough that I could almost imagine Lila's dragon body curling around and still having space to stretch.
Every step we took echoed softly against the stone floors, making the vast emptiness feel even grander.
The air smelled faintly of old stone and dust, but it wasn't unpleasant, it had a weight to it, a presence that reminded you of a place that had stood for centuries.
The whole group fell silent, staring in awe.
Nobody spoke at first; it felt like the castle itself demanded that we pause and take it all in.
I turned to Lila, who had landed a little way ahead, her scales glinting faintly in the dim light.
"Do you know where the vault is," I asked carefully, "to get our payment for saving you?"
Lila's mouth twitched in what might have been amusement, then said."Follow me," she said simply, turning around, and beginning to move down a long corridor.
