They finally slept in beds, although crates and supplies still surrounded them. Tarlak had said the portable hole would be longer acquiring than he thought, given his underestimation of their rarity. The beds, however, he had carted up the stairs with a few tricks of shrink and enlarge magic. The sheets, pillows, and blankets were all white, courtesy of Delysia. Stitched across their lengths was a golden mountain.

“What’s that?” Harruq had asked her.

“The symbol for Ashhur. It’ll help you sleep better, I promise.”

The symbol didn’t seem to be working, so instead he stared at the ceiling and talked to his brother.

“Do you…do you like it here?” Harruq asked.

Qurrah sighed, and his weak voice grew greater in volume and tone.

“Let’s address this right now, shall we?” he said. Harruq squirmed uncomfortably. “You are happy, and enjoy this place, but since happiness is a rarity for us, you worry something is wrong, and if it is not you, then it must be me. I don’t fit in well, brother, but the people are mostly kind, the food is grand, and our beds are padded and warm. What better accommodations have we ever had? None. So stop worrying about my happiness. And that goes for Aurelia as well.”

“Not sure if Aurry is worrying too much about you,” he said, trying to lighten the mood.

“Don’t be stupid. You know what I mean, or will, given time.”

Again Harruq squirmed. Yes, he knew what his brother meant.

“I love her, Qurrah,” he whispered into the quiet. It seemed an eternity before Qurrah responded.

“I know. Go to sleep.”

He did. Qurrah followed him into slumber, but only after kicking the blanket with the golden mountain to the floor. Only then could he sleep peacefully, the black-haired girl returning to his dreams.

5