After spending some private time with Sana and Yuwa in the open air bath, Nathan finally left the water and returned to his room.
By then, the weight of the journey had settled fully into his body. Riding through the night had already drained him, and the poison still lingering in his system made every movement feel heavier than it should have. Added to that was the exhaustion that followed the bath and everything that had happened in it. Once he reached his room, he wasted no time. He lay down, closed his eyes, and let sleep claim him almost at once.
When he finally woke, several hours had passed.
Morning light had already filled the room, soft and pale through the shutters, and for a brief moment Nathan remained still, collecting himself. His body still felt tired, though the sleep had done enough to clear the worst of the haze from his mind. He got dressed, adjusted his clothes, and stepped out into the corridor.
As he did, the door beside his opened as well.
