The night passed with an unusual ease for Luke. For once, sleep found him quickly, his mind unusually calm. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the previous day or perhaps he was finally learning to rein in his wandering, often inappropriate thoughts. Respect, he mused. That's what it all boiled down to. He'd never really been in a position to reflect on it much before, but Ilyrana had pushed him to be better, even without saying a word.
When morning came, Luke woke to find the space next to him empty, the bed neatly made, and the room quiet. Ilyrana was gone. It wasn't odd for her to be up before him—elves seemed to have a knack for being alert without the need for much sleep. Still, this time it was different. She wasn't anywhere in the building. The maids, always diligent in their duties, hadn't seen her either when he inquired over breakfast.
