Many things had happened in his past week. The House Royce and Davinos had fallen, he had gone traveling, and he didn't know if his sister and mother still lived. Occtis was still a mystery (to the others of their group and to Occtis himself), Thaisha didn't trust him, Vaelus was Vaelus, and you... Well, you were a whole other can of worms.

And finally, after so long traveling, their group could actually let down their guard in Castle Einfasen. As Thaisha and Vaelus bathed and Aranessa spoke with Lord Einfasen, Julien collected several bottles of wine from the Davinos carriges that had been stopped here.

Alone at last, Julien collapsed on the edge of his bed, half-empty bottle in hand. Tears streamed down his face as he let out a sob he had been holding in. He would never be able to apologize for that final conversation with his father. He hadn't had a pleasant conversation with his father in years, and now he never would again.

In the next room, you could faintly hear sobbing through the wall. You weren't sure who it was coming from, but you could tell it was coming from nearby.