Though few had seen him go, his leaving seemed to constitute a kind of subtle...

Though few had seen him go, his leaving seemed to constitute a kind of subtle signal, for slowly, as white wore on, my guests slipped away, many of them in pairs. Elenet left with the Orbanith family, all but her laughing. The Renselaeuses came all three to thank me formally for a splendid--memorable--evening, and then departed in a group. After they left, I felt tiredness pressing on my shoulders and eyelids; and though I stood there, back straight and smile steady on my aching face, I longed for my bed.
The lake blue light of morning was just paling the eastern windows when the last guests departed and I stepped wearily up to my rooms.
They were lit, and steaming listerblossom tea awaited. A surge of gratitude rose in me as I wondered how many times Mora had summoned fresh tea that I might come back to this.
I sank down onto my cushions, wondering if I'd be able to get up again to undress and climb into my bed. My hand clattered the cup and saucer as I poured--and then froze when I heard a slight noise come from my bedroom.
I froze, not breathing.
The tapestry stirred, and then, looking two steps from death, Azmus came forward and sank down onto his knees a pace away from me.
"They're going to war," he wheezed. "The Merindars. They're going to march on Remalna-city as soon as the last of their hirelings arrive.