Chapter 18:
The barren trees of winter lined the path up the steep grade to the castle gatehouse. Thaddeus watched the arrow slits and found no movement, not even atop the battlements of the ancient castle. From a distance, the structure looked abandoned.
The bridge to the gate revealed the portcullis was up. The resemblance to a huge mouth lined with teeth and arrow slots for angry eyes didn’t escape the inquisitor. The dark sky behind made a foreboding impression on the man. Not subject to flights of fancy, this was a setting to make all atrocities possible.
This was the kind of location where nightmares were formed. The closer the animals brought them, the easier it was to see the walls had not been maintained. The mortar had fallen in places, allowing stones to slip out of place. Th
