42: I WLL NOT TOLERATE THIS!

The palace was drowning in silence, a deceptive stillness that only deepened Zara's paranoia. She moved cautiously, each step deliberate, her pulse hammering against her ribs. The weight of what she had seen earlier, the whispered conversation between Lady Vaelor and Alaric clung to her like a shadow. It gnawed at her, filling her with doubts she didn't have time to entertain. 

Not now. Not when the rebellion was at its most crucial turning point. 

She gritted her teeth, shoving the thoughts away as she pulled her cloak tighter around her. The thick fabric brushed against her fingers, a poor shield against the coldness that had nothing to do with the night air. The spell bound to her was suffocating, winding through her mind like an iron chain, its grip unrelenting. She felt its pull even now, a phantom force that tried to sink its claws into her will. She clenched her jaw, forcing her mind to stay sharp. 

She would break free. No matter what it took.