The candles in Jocelynn's chamber had burned down to stubs, and the tray at her elbow had gone cold hours ago with most of her dinner still on it.
There wasn't anything wrong with her meal necessarily; the pork steak in rich gravy and the apples poached in cinnamon-sugar water were both things that Jocelynn would have enjoyed on most days. Today, however, the simple act of cutting up her food to eat felt like too much to bother with, so after she'd finished the winter vegetable soup, she hadn't done more than nibble on the buttery, soft rolls while she pored over piles of parchment.
Ashlynn entered Jocelynn's sitting room without knocking, gesturing to the pair of attendants to give them privacy while she spoke to her sister.
