Ender awoke to the sound of birdsong wafting through the open window in Caroline's room. He had not planned on sleeping in her room that night and knew Mara would have a fit if she saw him here. The woman was still old fashioned in a lot of ways.
He shook red-gold curls back and forth and rubbed the scar at his temple in an attempt to dismiss the vestiges of sleep from his brain. Ender knew he was already behind schedule. While most preparations for their journey were set in place over the last week, the vampire knew there were still a few items he needed to throw in his saddlebags before departing. Snoring softly atop the bedcovers, Caroline looked so peaceful that Ender was reluctant to wake her. He would ask Mara to rouse the girl.
Gingerly getting up from the overstuffed chair, Ender exited the room quietly, leaving the witch to rest. The vampire breathed a small sigh of relief as he passed through the door into the wide stone corridor.
