Nox slipped out of the room, leaving Serian still asleep. The princess looked like she hadn't moved much since he'd woken up with his head on her lap. The thin blanket was still pulled up to her chin, and her breathing was soft and even, her features relaxed in a way he hadn't seen them when she was awake.
He figured she needed the rest more than he did right now. He carefully closed the door behind him.
The hallway of the old hotel was dim and smelled faintly of dust and old cigarettes, a scent that was almost comforting in its normalcy compared to the reek of monster guts. He walked down the creaky stairs, his boots making soft thuds on the worn wood, and out the front door into the brighter light of day.
The sun was high, probably around noon, judging by the short, sharp shadows cast by the broken edges of nearby buildings. The air here, a few blocks away from where they'd fought Lola, felt a bit cleaner, less like a tomb.
