Chapter 186: in the castle

The morning of the mission arrived cloaked in tension. Every man in our group knew what was at stake. We had spent months preparing for this moment, but now that it was here, a suffocating weight pressed against my chest.  

Failure was not an option.  

We gathered in the dimly lit room of our inn one last time, finalizing the disguises that would get us through the castle gates.  

Corwin had worked through the night to craft the illusions, weaving spells of deception to make our silver hair appear dark, dulling our vibrant eyes, and dulling the faint aura of magic that clung to us as mages.  

Now, looking around at my men, they looked nothing like the warriors who had trained beside me. They were indistinguishable from common servants.  

And I was no exception.  

My long silver hair had darkened to an unremarkable brown, my eyes a deep gray instead of their usual piercing blue. I wore the uniform of a castle servant, a simple tunic and trousers, my hands roughened with dirt to match the appearance of a laborer.  

I barely recognized myself in the reflection of a small, cracked mirror.  

This was it. We were going in.  

The castle was preparing for a feast that night, which meant an influx of workers moving in and out. Carts of food and barrels of wine were being rolled through the gates. The guards were alert, but distracted, their attention more focused on checking the goods than scrutinizing the faces of every servant passing through.  

Riven, Corwin, Elias, and I walked in with a group of real workers bringing in supplies for the kitchens. Our shoulders were hunched, our expressions blank, just as we had practiced. We moved with purpose, not too fast to draw suspicion, but not slow enough to seem out of place.  

At the gate, a guard glanced at me as I passed.  

I held my breath.  

His gaze lingered for a second too long before he grunted and turned away.  

I exhaled slowly, keeping my movements steady.  

We were in.  

Inside the castle, the halls bustled with activity. Servants rushed about, preparing for the evening’s festivities. The scent of roasted meats and fresh bread filled the air, mingling with the faint scent of burning torches and polished marble.  

I clenched my fists. This place was grand, filled with luxury and excess, yet all I could see were the shadows of its past, the ghosts of my mother’s suffering, the bloodstains my father had left behind.  

I forced my mind to focus. We had a role to play.  

Our group scattered, each of us slipping into different duties. Riven went toward the armory, where he would silently mark the paths guards took. Corwin and the other mages infiltrated the main banquet hall, ensuring that when the time came, their spells could disrupt the defenses.  

And I was sent to the grand corridor, tasked with carrying trays of wine toward the dining hall.  

I moved carefully, adjusting my posture to mimic the weariness of a true servant, keeping my head down as I passed nobility and guards alike.  

I was almost to my destination when I turned a corner too quickly—  

And collided with someone.  

The impact was brief but jarring. The tray wobbled in my hands, and I barely managed to keep it from spilling its contents.  

I immediately bowed my head. “Forgive me, my lady,” I murmured in a low voice.  

A long pause followed.  

Too long.  

I risked glancing up.  

And my blood ran cold.  

Megara.  

She stood before me, her striking golden eyes narrowing as she studied my face. Her elaborate gown shimmered under the torchlight, her dark curls cascading over her shoulders.  

I had never met her before, but I knew who she was.  

My father’s concubine.  

The woman who had held power in his court since my mother had disappeared.  I could tell it was her from how she was dressed and how she matched the description I was given at the inn.

And she was staring at me.

I forced my body to remain still, my breathing even. I was just a servant. A nobody. Nothing about me should have stood out to her.  

But Megara did not move.  

Her eyes flickered over my features as if she recognized something.  

I swallowed hard, keeping my gaze lowered.  

Then, just as quickly as she had stopped, she scoffed and turned away.  

“Foolish servants. Watch where you’re going,” she muttered before continuing down the hall.  

I didn’t move. Not until she was gone.  

Then, I exhaled shakily, gripping the tray tighter as my pulse pounded in my ears.  

That was too close.  

Had she truly dismissed me, or was she suspicious?  

I couldn’t afford to find out.  

I forced myself forward, walking faster.  

I needed to warn the others.  

The evening continued as planned, but my nerves were on edge. I completed my assigned tasks quickly, keeping my head low, moving through the castle without attracting attention.  

When I finally slipped into the hidden servant’s quarters where the others were waiting, Riven was the first to notice my unease.  

“What happened?” he asked quietly.  

I exhaled sharply. “I ran into Megara.”  

That got their attention.  

Corwin frowned. “Did she recognize you?”  

I hesitated. “I don’t know. She *looked* at me, but then dismissed me.”  

Riven muttered a curse. “We can’t take any chances.”  

Elias nodded. “If she says something to Sirius”  

“I know,” I cut in. “But we can’t abort the mission. Not now. We continue as planned.”  

No one argued.  

We had come too far to back down now.  

But as we sat in silence, waiting for the final moments before our attack, one thought kept gnawing at the back of my mind.  

Had Megara truly let me go? Or was she watching us even now?

The castle bells rang, signaling the official start of the feast.  

Music and laughter echoed through the halls. The scent of spiced wine filled the air.  

Our time was running out.  

I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening.  

By the end of this night, everything would change.  

For better or for worse.