By evening, the sky outside had already turned dark again.
Winter nights always came too quickly in this beast world. One moment there was still pale light on the snow, and the next moment the whole village had sunk into a cold blue darkness, with only firelight from stone houses and wooden halls glowing against the white ground. The wind outside kept brushing against the palace walls, and every now and then, snow slid from the roof with a soft heavy sound that made the room feel even warmer by comparison.
Isabella sat near the fire, wrapped in thick furs until only her face and hands could be seen properly.
Cyrus was with her.
