The bird chirping on a distant tree was the first sound Adric registered. His eyes, which were closed, moved until he slowly opened them. As he had expected, the girl had already left the room. He sat up on the bed, noticing the brown torn-out parchment placed close to his leg. The Crown Prince reached for it and read the small note,
'We are even. I have paid back for all the favors. Please let's not cross paths again.'
Adric raised his brow; he noticed that his hand was a little redder than usual. He moved aside the bed cover and noticed the small red spot on the silk sheet. He sighed, scratching his brows slightly.