Kaelen stood up, his boots making a quiet thud against the floorboards as he crossed the room and pulled the heavy wooden door open. Standing in the dimly lit corridor was Rowan.
The Emperor's aide had clearly just taken a long bath. His pale skin was flushed a soft pink from the heat, and his messy hair was still slightly damp at the tips.
He had changed into a clean, simple white night-shirt and loose trousers, but he was holding Kaelen's massive fur mantle tightly around his shoulders like a security blanket. His dark, sleep-deprived eyes darted down the hallway before finally landing on Kaelen's chest.
"Step inside," Kaelen said softly, shifting his weight to create a path.
Rowan took in a deep breath and scurried in quickly, the heavy wooden door clicking shut behind him, completely locking out the rest of the world.
