"What's wrong with you, East? Why do you look even worse than before…?" Harriet's concern and observation made the lion turn as she watched her son trudge across the sun-baked stones of the desert palace courtyard.
The shadows under his eyes were like bruises. They were hollow, as if he'd been fighting sleepless battles in another dimension.
Eastiel shook his head wearily. "I'm fine, Mother. Just… losing some sleep. The northern winds don't agree with a lion's rhythm, you know?"
Elias, his younger brother, chose that moment to stride past them on his way to the armory. He didn't slow, didn't turn his head, but his voice, dry and perfectly aimed, sailed back on the hot air.
"He's losing sleep because his wife isn't here."
The voice shifted frequency as he walked past.
Harriet immediately pressed her lips together, but the corners twitched upward. She had to try her best to suppress her smile. "Is that true?"
