A bright flash of lightning seared the heavens and a few moments later thunder fell through the crack, rolling and pitching as it came. Hard darts of rain slanted from the sky, driving wet pellets into their eyes and between the folds of their clothing. They entered the building with water streaming from their fingertips. Pushing back her hood, Gwyn heard voices spilling through the walls, but saw no one. Laughter and jocular voices rose momentarily from a far room, then fell away again. The place was clean, she decided, with wide, open spaces. Even the stairs were broad, not close and curving like the Nest. Odd that no travellers were in sight, but it seemed well-tended enough to serve for the night. From out of the shadows peered a small, feminine face. For the only human in sight, it was strange indeed to have her gaze at them from the shadows, as if she didn’t want to be seen. She smiled at Gwyn, who returned the gesture, feeling odd.
