Luke walked down the dimly lit lodge hallway, the wooden floorboards creaking softly under his footsteps. The air was cool and smelled of burning candles mixed with aged timber. Reaching Karrigan's room, he hesitated momentarily before gently pushing the door open.
Inside, the room was nearly identical to the one he'd just left—modest in size, with a single queen-sized bed covered in a simple linen sheet, a small bedside table holding a flickering oil lamp, and a worn wooden chair tucked into the corner. Karrigan was already sprawled out on one side of the bed, his boots kicked off haphazardly and his arms folded comfortably behind his head.
As Luke entered, Karrigan's eyes flickered open, and a sly grin spread across his face.
"Well, that was quick," he drawled, his voice tinged with playful mockery. "I thought you'd be tied up for a bit longer."
Closing the door behind him, Luke raised an eyebrow in confusion.
