Dusk had faded into a dark night when Sastra awoke. She stretched out on the narrow bed with a frown, realising that she was alone. Her thoughts were heavy with sleep, as though she was trying to make sense of the world through a thick fog. Sitting up, she took a drink of water. As her senses slowly sharpened, she could smell all the things she associated with Jason, including the tang of metal from the times he maintained his sword. She smiled, hearing the soft murmur of voices from the main houses. Not wanting to delay, she swung her legs over the bed and slipped from the room; following the steps of her lover.
She stepped through a narrow gap in the door into a room lit with candles. The shutters had been left wide open, covered in a gauze to stop the millions of flying insects swarmin
