He stretched his legs out long, and there was room. The simple luxury of sleeping with a straight spine made him want to laugh out loud in purest gratitude.A real bed. A true night’s sleep. He stretched again, luxuriating in the length and breadth of an actual bed.Oddly, he had no recollection of going to sleep.He opened his eyes to gaze about the small chamber, still dusty and cluttered as it had been yesterday afternoon when he’d woken from his book-avalanche-induced nap to see Elektra and the cleared hallway … Elektra in the hallway.Oh, God. He sat up straight in bed. That had been a dream, hadn’t it? It had a sort of smeary fog to it, like a dream … Except he could still taste the silken skin of her neck.He swung his feet to the floor and noted dully that he had lain down fully clothed, right down to his once fine but now much-battered boots.The damned tea.He didn’t know what was in that abominable brew, but a single sip had hit him like a brick to the skull. He recalled the floating, unreal quality to his vision … and the incredible sensitivity of his other senses.He could still smell jasmine.So, it was real.
