Morning came soft and slow. Light leaked through the curtains and spread across the room in a gentle sheet. It made everything look calm and small. The quiet of the palace at that hour felt like a thin lid over the house. Outside, the world was waking up slowly. Inside Lydia's room, the world moved much slower and much sharper.
Lydia stirred. Her eyes opened and blinked against the light. For a wild second she did not know where she was. Her mind was empty and tired. Then she turned her head and saw him.
Ivan lay beside her. He was still sleeping. His face was relaxed in sleep, but she could see how tired he looked. The dark circles under his eyes made his face look older. His clothes were the same clothes he had worn at the trial. The sleeves were rolled up. The collar was a little wrinkled. It was as if he had run to her room the moment he returned and had not changed.
