Chapter 585: Stronghold

The stronghold seemed to be a maze of endless stone corridors, punctuated by the occasional giant room with towering ceilings. Everything was arched, fitted columns sweeping overhead, reminding me of a medieval cathedral. What few windows we encountered showed a barren landscape, the sky that same dark cloud cover I'd first seen, uniform and dull, as bleak as the browned earth, empty and flat of vegetation or anything else living for what looked like miles.

The stronghold itself felt endless, engulfing us as we walked, the vastness making me hunch my shoulders, tiny and inconsequential. What were we doing again? And why did I care so much? A heavy apathy rode my back, slowing me down until only prodding from Charlotte behind me kept me moving.

Gram finally turned to find we'd fallen behind and frowned. Her fingers touched my cheek again, Enforcer magic sparking my own power.

"Sorry," Gram said. "I forgot about the warding. Any normal magic user would be weeping on her knees by now."