When they reached the windowless room in the depths of the castle, Ashlynn found that several changes had been made. Several oil heaters had been lit in the corners of the room, raising the temperature to a level that felt like a sauna after so much time spent in the icy cold even though it was little warmer than a late spring day in the Vale of Mists.
Beyond that, dozens of candles had been lit around the room and soft fabrics had been draped on all of the walls, trapping the heat and filling the room with a softly flickering golden glow. This much open flame in the Frost Walker fortress would doubtless be considered rude by their hosts but Nyrielle had ceased to care when they failed to keep her precious Ashlynn safe on a simple fishing trip.
Once they were alone, Nyrielle did something completely unexpected. After setting Ashlynn down on the bed, the ancient vampire knelt on the cool stone floor and bowed her head low.
