The next morning, sunlight woke her.
It poured straight through the thin fabric of the tent, warm and bright against her face.
Eliora stirred slowly, brows pulling together as she blinked awake. For a second, she didn't move. She just lay there, trying to remember where she was.
Then everything came back...the journey, the carriage, the conversation they had last night...
Her cheeks warmed at the memory.
She pushed herself up on her elbows and paused.
Zarek wasn't beside her.
The space he'd occupied was empty, though the mattress still held a bit of warmth.
She sat up fully, and adjusted the soft pink gown she'd slept in. Her hair had loosened overnight, the strands falling around her shoulders.
As she stepped out of the tent, morning air brushed her skin immediately, fresh and cool.
A few steps away, she spotted Maelina and Zarek near the horses, feeding them. The animals nuzzled into their palms as they spoke quietly between themselves.
