Chapter 247: First Life, Alice. (14)
Evening
Springton.
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The evening shadows cast long fingers of darkness across the stone corridors of the knight’s quarters. The air was cool and heavy with the scent of burning torches, which flickered and danced in their sconces.
Conrad, a seasoned knight with stern features and a perpetual look of wonderment etched into his face, marched purposefully down the hall, his boots echoing ominously against the hard floor.
In this moment his mind was set on a singular task—confronting the knight he suspected of being a spy for the enemy kingdom of Firseria.
He reached a wooden door, slightly ajar, and pushed it open. The room beyond was dimly lit by a single, guttering candle on a desk cluttered with parchments and quills. Seated at this desk, his posture, one of dejection and anxiety, was a young knight with black hair that fell messily around his face. Holden.
Conrad’s eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the coal lined eye, Holden, who was holding his head in his hands, clearly troubled. The younger knight looked up, startled, as Conrad entered, his eyes widening with fear.
"S...Sir Conrad," Holden stammered, attempting to rise to his feet, but his legs seemed unwilling to obey.
Conrad remained standing, his imposing figure casting a long shadow across the room. "Holden," he said, his voice cold and hard. "We need to talk."
Holden swallowed hard, his face pale in the flickering light. "I-I haven’t done anything wrong, Sir," he said, his voice shaking.