The morning light filtered through the thin curtains, painting the room in soft gold. It was peaceful.
It was around ten.
They ordered breakfast to the room. A simple meal—fresh bread, soft cheese, slices of fruit, steaming cups of tea. They ate in comfortable silence, sitting cross-legged on the bed, the tray between them.
When the meal was finished and the tray set aside, Khione did something unexpected. She reached into her spatial ring and withdrew a small, elegant wooden box. She opened it to reveal a beautiful chessboard, the pieces carved from polished obsidian and white marble.
"Play with me," she said. It wasn't a question.
Nero nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. They set up the board between them, the morning light catching the glossy surfaces of the pieces.
