It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. The flames in the fireplace still burned tirelessly, bathing the cabin in a warm, cozy glow.
Yano returned from outside, bringing with him the faint, cool scent of the night's dew. He skillfully added a few more dry pine logs to the fireplace, raising the temperature in the cabin once more.
He was just about to report to Chen Yu when, in a shadowy corner of the wall untouched by the firelight, the deep shadows rippled like water, and Nili emerged with a yawn.
"Heard you two were looking all over town for me. Well, I'm back now."
She shook the damp dew from her black robes, casually pulled back her hood to reveal a small, weary face, and unceremoniously squeezed into the best spot in front of the fireplace. She sat down and narrowed her eyes in comfort.
"Spit it out. Your auntie here needs to go back and catch up on her sleep. You guys might stay up all night, but I need my sleep."
