Aeris’s pov
Caspian urged me to find the key to the old caves. It was a daunting task, and the risk of being noticed was high, but we had no choice. We couldn’t afford for someone else—especially the enemy lurking in the shadows—to find the passage before us. Perhaps they already knew about the caves, and that thought made the situation even more dire.
After our discussion, we began searching the shelves in my late father’s study, hoping to find the mechanism that would lead us to the secret passage connected to the caves. Time was slipping away, and I felt the pressure mounting. We had to find a way to open it before it was too late.
Caspian worked with determination, pulling all the books from the shelves, his movements methodical as he scanned every corner. Then, just as I was beginn
