Bad suprise

We had to leave the castle quietly, for Zephara would never consent to our clandestine departure. As we tiptoed down the grand staircase, the cool stone beneath my feet and the hushed whispers of Yumi and Lise were the only sounds in the vast silence of the corridor. My heart raced with the thrill of our secret mission, yet I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that clung to me like a second skin.

"We must be like shadows, unseen and unheard," I whispered, my voice barely a breath as we descended. The weight of my decision pressed down on me, but the resolve in my companions' eyes bolstered my courage.

Suddenly, Zephara materialized before us, as if conjured by the very air. "Where are you going?" she demanded, her voice slicing through the quiet.