Final answer:
The author creates suspense by using descriptive language to set a tense atmosphere, depicting the protagonist's actions and encounters in a way that suggests danger, and sharing the protagonist's internal fears and anticipations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The author builds suspense in the story by carefully crafting scenes filled with tension, mystery, and a high stake setting. Descriptive passages are used to evoke a sense of place and mood, allowing readers to sense the protagonist's fear and apprehension. Actions such as following mysterious footsteps, listening to the quiet of a forest potentially full of threats, and the protagonist's keen senses picking up subtle signs, help to create an atmosphere where anything could happen at any moment, thus heightening suspense.
For example, in one passage, the protagonist hides and quietly observes as unknown horsemen pass by, creating tension as readers wait to learn who they are and their intentions. Descriptions such as the muffled sound of horse hooves and obscured vision by starlight make the scene particularly vivid and eerie, intensifying the feeling of suspense.
Moreover, the use of internal thoughts and feelings, like the protagonist's fear of a looming disaster, contributes to the suspenseful tone. As readers, we are drawn into the psychological state of the protagonist, sharing in their uncertainties and anticipating the resolution of the pressing conflict or threat.