Dawn arrived later in the Northern Territory than in the South. As Murphy's figure crossed the final ridge before Monte Castle, the eastern sky was just beginning to pale.
The morning mist, a milky veil, clung low to the castle's towers and stone walls. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine needles and frost.
He disturbed no one, slipping in through a hidden entrance at the back of the castle, just as he had when he left.
After passing through several little-known passages, Murphy reached the upper level of the main keep and the living quarters he shared with Aurora.
The corridors were silent, the candles in their wall sconces long since burned out.
He paused for a moment before the bedroom door, then pushed the heavy oak door open.
The room was warm. The embers from the previous night still glowed in the fireplace, giving off a faint light and heat.
The morning light filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting a few hazy shafts of light into the room.
