Jolthar had slept for six hours before his body decided it had taken what it needed and returned him to consciousness whether he was ready or not. The recovery wasn't complete — the Void Requiem left a particular kind of depletion that full sleep couldn't entirely address, the reserves it drew from requiring time measured in days rather than hours to fully replenish. But functional was achievable, and functional was sufficient.
Caelum had a fire going when Jolthar emerged from the tent the Kaezhlar camp had provided. Two cups of something that smelled medicinal and tasted worse were already poured, which suggested his uncle had been waiting without making a performance of waiting.
They sat across from each other in the particular silence of people who have a significant history and are taking a moment to determine which parts of it are relevant to the present situation.
