After Benneca's departure, a heavy silence settled in John's cottage.
He stood near the door for a while, staring at the spot where she had just been, then quietly locked it behind him and stumbled back to bed.
The weight of everything, the trial, the assassination attempt, the soul-burning backlash of the Qi pill, and now Benneca's probing, crashed down on him.
As soon as his head hit the pillow, sleep took him like a crashing tide.
Next Morning
"Hey sleepyhead! Come out already!"
A loud voice broke through the veil of dreams, dragging John back to the waking world.
His eyes opened groggily, a frown already forming on his face.
He rolled off the bed, still in a daze, and opened the door with half-lidded eyes.
Outside in the small garden stood Riara, arms crossed, a bright smirk on her face.
She was wearing the newly issued Blue Cauldron Sect robe, its deep azure fabric embroidered with cloud patterns and a silver cauldron emblem on the chest.
