Time passed strangely that night, so slowly that, as they talked, each minute seemed to carry its own weight, filled with meaning and presence, and, at the same time, so quickly that, when they finally realized it, several hours had disappeared like smoke in the wind, taking the night with them and bringing the dawn closer than they would have liked.
Lunavinc Tavern was becoming increasingly quiet, the activity of the early evening giving way to a tranquility that only arrived during the later hours.
The great fireplace remained lit, casting an orange glow over the stone walls and dark wooden beams, its flames dancing in a hypnotic rhythm that seemed to follow the breathing of the few customers who still remained.
The flames crackled softly, consuming the last pieces of firewood as small sparks rose through the chimney, like runaway stars searching for the sky.
