Hermi woke to the rhythmic scrape of metal against whetstones, her eyelids fluttering as she blinked through the lingering haze of sleep. The first thing she saw was the white rocky ceiling of the alcove. When she turned her head to the left, the second thing she saw was her husband's sleeping face.
The previous night, Cassian had fed her the venison piece by piece until the hour grew late. His focus had been so relentless that Hermi was certain she would not touch meat again for weeks.
Eventually, she had made a deliberate excuse to retire early, leaving her husband alone with a flank of meat that was barely one-tenth carved. Given Cassian's giant physique, she had no doubt that finishing the rest himself was well within his capability.
