Espionage

The Gates

Soon the pair came upon a bridge leading to the previously crumbling castle. It now stood tall and grand before them, as it had in its first years.
The girl took the lead, walking on the bridge spanning a chasm with no discernible bottom. The dragon followed close behind her.
When they had nearly reached the gates, torches held by the guard statues on either side flared with a blue fire. The girl stopped in front of them.
   "State your intent," a low voice rumbled from one statue.
   "My name is Talila. My companion and I wish to speak with your master," she responded.
   The statues rumbled for a bit before the gate slowly creaked open, allowing Talila entrance. She approached the castle behind them while her companion flew off to wait.
Nothing else stopped her approach. The air was eerily still and silent, adding to the strange feeling the castle held. Not even her footsteps made a sound as she reached the towering wooden doors that had seen many an empire rise and fall.
They creaked and groaned open slowly, the sound serving as the only sign of the hulking structure's age.
Talila took a breath, steeled her nerves, and stepped into the brightly lit hallway.