The carriage came to a slow halt, the wheel grinding against packed snow.
The horses were restless as though they sensed something wrong with the house. A dark malevolent energy hummed in the air and they knew they had no place stopping here.
Through the small carriage window, Nheera studied the house that stood alone in the clearing. It was just as she remembered from her last visit years ago. The structure sagged faintly at one end, its roof uneven, its walls dulled by time and neglect. There was no sign of life beyond the single window where a thin, steady glow of light bled into the night.
Beyond it, there was nothing. Just trees that stretched far and wide.
By the time she reached her destination, the sun had dipped over the horizon. The moon hung high above, casting just enough light to outline her path.
Her cloak swallowed the rest.
