He had nothing to even point him in the direction he needed to go. It seemed as though everything had conspired against him. He did, however, hope to glean something from Caim’s supposed acquaintances.
He gathered up the rest of his belongings and stretched. The long hours in the saddle and the rather unfriendly climate were also taking their toll on him. It had been a long time since he’d had to spend so much time on the road, and certainly not in armour. It was hard to admit, but he’d grown out of the habit.
He rose from the table and walked over to the window overlooking the square in front of the inn. The village, bathed in glaring sunlight, seemed deserted. Not even the slightest movement was visible. The emptiness struck Darius as peculiar and suspicious, though he was all too aware of the reason for this state of affairs. The sweltering heat poured mercilessly in through the tall windows, inducing a sense of weariness and aversion to everything. Once again, Bleist envied his apprentice's insensitivity to temperature.
‘Dragons have it easier,’ he muttered listlessly and stepped away from the window, fed up with the heat beating down from outside.
Darius crossed the hall and entered a windowless room, which was nonetheless flooded with light streaming in through a skylight in the roof. It was cooler here thanks to a small pond situated in the middle of the floor and the mist of water spraying upwards from it. Without a second thought, Bleist sank onto a soft chaise longue. The quiet murmur had a calming effect, and the added relief made him relax. Earl gazed at the fountain, letting his thoughts wander freely. Not without surprise, he quickly caught himself thinking about the student. It was hard for the wizard to shake the feeling that he should be by Draco’s side, rather than chasing after who knows what somewhere out in the provinces.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door coming from the next room.
‘Come in,’ he called out in a raised voice.
