Then, right as Lin Wan was raising a second spoon of porridge to her lips, she suddenly stopped completely mid-motion.
Her hand froze in the air. Her dark eyes moved slowly toward the heavy oak door leading out into the grand corridor.
"Did you hear that?" she asked quietly, her voice barely a whisper.
Sister Yun paused, looking up from the linen cloths she was organizing.
"Hear what, My Lady?"
Lin Wan stayed frozen, tilting her head as she listened intently to the quiet stillness beyond the heavy wood.
There was no sound at all. No loud shouting, no heavy boots running, no clanking iron armor.
She slowly lowered her spoon back into the porcelain bowl, shaking her head.
"Nothing. Maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me."
Beside her feet on the bed, the black cat suddenly raised its head high. Its small ears twitched forward, pointing straight toward the closed wooden door.
