The laughter faded.
Not slowly. Instantly. As though it had never existed. No one in the room spoke.
Every soldier stood perfectly still, staring into the empty corridor beyond Rin's room.
Vorak was the first to move.
He marched into the hallway, axe resting on his shoulder.
"Who's there?"
His voice thundered through the stone corridor. Only silence answered.
Selara followed close behind, a small orb of light floating above her hand. Its warm glow chased away the darkness, revealing nothing except cold stone walls and ancient tapestries.
"No magic."
She frowned.
"Not even a trace."
Lucien slowly adjusted his glasses.
"That should be impossible."
"It stopped being impossible several chapters ago," Rin muttered.
A few nearby soldiers laughed. The sound died almost immediately.
Even humor struggled to survive inside the fortress now. Kaelith looked toward the gathered guards.
"Triple the night patrols."
One soldier hesitated.
"General..."
Kaelith met his eyes.
