I woke to silence. It was the deep, heavy silence that only occurred when the mountain was finally satisfied. I sat up slowly. My ribs still ached with a dull throb, but it was manageable now. The gash from the Ur-Beast was now a jagged, silver scar in my side. I was human. The forced transformation had finished while I slept.
I looked across the room. The fire had burned down to a pile of glowing embers. Sloane was slumped over the stone table. Her dark hair spilled across the silver map like a veil. She looked so small, especially in sleep. The emerald robe had slipped past her shoulders, revealing the pale curve of her neck.
I stood and walked toward her, my bare feet silent on the stone. Gray light filtered through the window and I knew darkness was already approaching again. My ti
