“Hey, sleepyhead.” Dendup’s cheerful voice pulls me out of a deep slumber. “Time to get up, sister.”
I open my eyes to the empty mats beside me and see they’ve done it again—Dendup and Karma snuck off early to prepare our horses and let me sleep in. They’re good like that, and while I’m usually embarrassed by it, I’m grateful now.
A big yawn escapes my mouth as I stretch my limbs. The excitement of yesterday with the crowded town, its buzzing stalls, the endless fittings of garments, and Lanying’s more than candid talk left me exhausted. I must have passed out once my head hit the pillow—or rather Karma’s chest—because the memory of anything after the sumptuous dinner of yesterday evening is absent.
Not fully awake yet, I hasten to clear the mat. My blurry eyes catch the red string on
