*Saoirse*
I blinked up at the ceiling, shielding my eyes again for a moment before letting out a deep sigh and turning over, my skin prickling from the early morning cold. I reached out blindly, searching for Rhys in the dim light, but once again caught nothing but air.
My eyebrows furrowed. I knew he rose early. After we made up the previous night, I thought he might at least say goodbye to me before leaving and tell me to have a good day. I forced myself to shrug it off, telling myself that he must not have wanted to wake me so that I could be well-rested to continue my training.
After a second of hesitation, I picked up the staff from where I kept it beside the bed. It sat on a stand that held it proud and upright. I grasped it and lifted it, tracing some of the intricate details with my fingertips before heading out the door.
