As Val was still lying on the massive bed, his breathing was steady and deep. He was finally asleep in a way Issa had never seen before, even though she knew she had just been around him a few times. The strong smell of herbs hung lightly in the air now; it was already fading away.

Issa sat on the cold stone floor, her back resting against the soft fur blankets near the fire. She tried to look calm, but inside, she wasn’t. Not even for a split second. Every part of her felt tense. It was ...