A couple of hours later, Kiara opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she remained still upon the soft bed, staring at the ornate canopy above her while the events of the day rearranged themselves inside her mind like pieces of a chessboard. The false king. The hidden quest. The imprisoned ruler. The reward. The risks. Each thought hovered over her consciousness like a star waiting to be connected into a constellation.
At last, she exhaled and rose from the bed.
The warm water of the bath washed away the heaviness of travel, but it did little to clear the web of calculations spinning inside her head. By the time she stepped out and changed into fresh clothes, she had reached only one conclusion.
Before making any move, she needed to see how these people behaved when they believed themselves safe.
Kiara dried her hair, then sent a telepathic message to Zion.
A few moments later, there was a knock on the door.
Zion entered and bowed slightly. "Your orders, Big Sis?"
