|| CASSENDRA'S POV ||

Darkness clung to the air as I navigated the moonlit path that wound through the dense woods surrounding the noble lady's estate. The tranquility of the night offered a stark contrast to the tumult that had unfolded within the castle walls, and my steps carried the weight of uncertainty and yearning. Little did I know that the shadows that danced beneath the moonlight would soon ensnare me in a web of captivity.

As I reached the edge of the woods, a sudden chill ran down my spine, a premonition that eclipsed the serene façade of the night. The distant hoot of an owl seemed to carry...