The third morning of the hunt dawned too early and too bright for how little sleep I'd gotten. The tent fabric did little to block the sun, and the birds outside were far too enthusiastic about being alive to concern themselves about my sleep.
I groaned, rolling onto my side and yanking the blanket over my face. No good. The light was still there. The world was still waiting. And I was still very much not in the mood for another day of nobles pretending they were warriors and princesses pretending they weren't watching the Crown Prince like he was the last dumpling at a feast.
I shoved the blanket off and sat up.
The tent was still quiet…mercifully so. Yaozu had returned sometime after dawn. I hadn't heard him come in, which meant he hadn't wanted to be noticed. Still, I knew he was here. I always did. A shadow pressed to the edge of mine. A silent breath in a room too still.
"Anything?" I asked, my voice rough with sleep.
