The next day arrived with pale sunlight filtering through the tavern windows. Jason returned quietly to the room, pushing the door open without a sound. Kaelen still slept deeply on the bed, chest rising and falling in uneven rhythm. The Ant King stood guard exactly where Jason had left it, six arms folded, golden eyes alert. It knew better than to do anything outside of what it was told, or it would risk incurring the wrath of the one he calls master.
Jason hadn't slept. He couldn't. Since absorbing the Marrow, rest had become unnecessary. His body operated at peak condition without it, yet the absence troubled him. Nights stretched long now, filled with thoughts instead of oblivion. He settled into a wooden chair beside the bed, watching Kaelen's face twist occasionally with hidden distress.
