The fitful sleep Shail fell into left him turning and twisting among the blankets until he lay on the hard floor with all the pillows pressed against his back instead. He didn't notice it anyway. Dreams passed through his mind, not sinking in. By the time he woke hours later, they'd already wisped away, leaving no memory behind. Inside a cave like this, he couldn't tell the time when he woke. He guessed a full darkness had set outside with morning still many hours away.

For a minute, he just lay there listening and breathing. The djinn didn't appear to be nearby so he shuffled until he could look into the main portion of the cave. He found her sleeping on her own bed and Shail relaxed immediately. Without her watchful gaze, he could act a little more like himself. He didn't need to be stubborn so he found himself wandering. He looked at the tapestries with interest, touched the fine silk materials, and admired every object he could find. A part of him looked for a plan, but the grandeur distracted him.

How could candles hang like that? Just where did all these riches come from? Just why keep him in the first place? It was illogical on every level. Surely she didn't trust him to stay. Standing in the middle of the room, he stared at the ceiling, lost in his conundrum. If he thought it would be that easy, he'd walk out right now.