The study was bright and clean, sunlight slanting through the carved window lattice onto the open scrolls.
Helan Pei sat quietly, one hand's fingertips gently resting on the corner of a page, unconsciously fidgeting, while the other hand propped up her chin. Her gaze lingered between the words on the page, but her mind had already wandered far away.
The Imperial Academy was on holiday today. Counting the time, they should be home soon, she thought. She turned her head to glance at the clepsydra in the corner.
Water dripped slowly, the marks seeming unchanged from when she last looked—so slow it made her anxious.
It had been a long time since she had looked forward to the Imperial Academy's holidays with such anticipation.
Preview