A chill had stolen over the room as the night deepened high in the mountains. After stretching and rewrapping his cloak about himself, Gerand slipped on his boots and went to the open window to refresh his eyes. Moonlight streamed through the opening, a slanted column of moonlight casting the shadow of Gen’s companion across the room. Remembering their strange circumstances set Gen’s blood to churning, grogginess fleeing as anxiety and a need to depart in haste took hold. Were it not for the scant illumination from the moons, the room would be lost in utter darkness. The ancient bed creaked wildly as Gen settled on it, and, despite the toils of the day, sleep would not come. Time crawled by as he stared at the cracked ceiling, ears primed for any sound besides that of his companions’ breathing, every moment passing lending him hope that the night would pass uneventfully and the protecting sun rise to free him from the nagging fear that gripped him in the presence of their host.
