The carriage door clicked open, and Liliette shivered as the crisp dawn air brushed against her skin. The knights who had been bustling about, preparing for departure, paused to salute her. Vlad, who had been issuing orders nearby, approached her.
“Did you sleep well? I hope it wasn’t too uncomfortable.”
“It was more comfortable than the last estate we stayed at,” she replied. “And not as cold.”
With home drawing near, she had insisted on sleeping in the carriage at night, eager to reach their destination as quickly as possible.
“Did you get any sleep at all? Surely you didn’t stay up all night?” she asked.
“A night without sleep is nothing. Don’t worry,” Vlad assured her.
“But—”
“Just a moment, Liliette.”
