The knight strode through the village, his sharp gaze scanning everything as the mob of lantern-holding villagers guided him toward the barn. Their faces were pale with exhaustion, their shoulders weighed down by the unbearable fear that clung to them like a second skin.
Lidia trailed behind the group with her arms crossed, her patience already stretched thin. She wasn't sure what was worse—the unpaid labor or the fact that her stomach had been empty for the past six hours.
Finally, they reached the abandoned storage barn where the children had supposedly been hiding before they vanished. The massive wooden doors groaned as they swung open, revealing nothing but crates, sacks of grain, and an eerie emptiness. The air inside smelled of old wood, dust, and a hint of mildew.
The knight stepped inside first, kneeling down to examine the dirt floor. His gloved fingers brushed over the surface, feeling for anything out of place.
A frown tugged at his lips.
