We still managed to sleep.
I did not expect that to happen, not with Astrae missing and that constant, pressing sense that something was wrong sitting heavy in my chest. Still, exhaustion does not care about logic or guilt. At some point, my thoughts blurred, and the world went dark.
When I opened my eyes again, pale daylight had already crept through the thin curtains. It was not early morning anymore. The light had that soft, settled quality that meant the day was already moving without us.
Kyren was awake.
He sat on the edge of the second bed I had asked the inn to prepare, one leg dangling lazily, elbows resting on his knees. A handheld device glowed faintly in his hands, and his attention was sharp in a way that made it obvious he had been awake for a while. The moment I shifted, his head lifted.
"Took you long enough," he uttered, a grin tugging at his lips.
I let out a slow breath and dragged a hand down my face. "What time is it?"
