Garren came down several minutes later, moving carefully on the stairs in the dark, one hand on the wall.
He had clearly been asleep, his eyes had the weighted look of someone pulled out of deep sleep before they were ready, and he was still pulling his outer garment straight as he crossed the hall to the door.
He unbolted it and pulled it open.
Darion came in.
Garren closed the door behind him and bolted it again, then turned and looked at Darion properly. Whatever he saw in Darion's face or posture made him ask nothing immediately. He just watched as Darion walked to the great hall and dropped into a chair.
"Unlike you to come back this early," Garren said.
Darion didn't answer right away. He was looking at the cold fireplace.
Garren looked at him for a moment. "You aren't going to sleep, are you."
Darion ran a hand through his hair. "We need to talk."
Garren crossed to the fireplace without being asked, crouched, and began setting the fire. He worked at it efficiently.
