Azael opened his eyes.
The room was dark. The kind of dark that meant evening had settled properly outside.
Through the window he could see the deep blue of the night sky and the faint glow of lanterns from somewhere below.
It was night. He had been asleep for hours now.
He lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling. He was satisfied, at the same time worried.
Then he reached to the side.
The bed was empty beside him. Cool to the touch.
She had been gone for a while.
He sat up slowly and looked around the room. His clothes were folded on the chair near the wall. On the small table beside the bed sat a plate of food, covered lightly with a cloth to keep it warm. A candle burned low beside it.
He exhaled quietly.
She had left and brought him food. And left again.
He got up, gathered clean clothes, and went to wash. The cold water helped. It cleared the last of the heaviness from his head and brought him back to himself properly.
