His room was simple, functional. A high, broad bed stood against the far wall, elevated just the way he preferred, its dark sheets already arranged with military precision. A few solid pieces of furniture lined the sides: a table, a chair, a rack for his coat and weapons. Along one wall, washroom charms were embedded into the stone. Everything was prepared perfectly. And yet, the room felt empty.
He exhaled slowly and sat down on the edge of the bed, rolling his shoulders once as if shedding the weight of the day. His mind, traitorously, drifted back to her voice. To the way she'd spoken about the train, about the views, about the boys' excitement. He pulled his phone out again, unlocked it, and typed in the place name she had mentioned earlier.
A video loaded.
