The taste was awful.
Kael barely managed to keep his expression neutral as he swallowed another spoonful of the bland porridge.
It was the sort of food that seemed to have been created without any consideration for taste whatsoever, but at least it was warm.
The heat spread slowly through his stomach, easing some of the lingering chill that had settled into his body after such a long and exhausting day. It wasn't pleasant, but it was comforting in its own way.
Besides, sleeping on an empty stomach had never been a particularly pleasant feeling.
Kael had learned that much through experience. Going to bed hungry only made it harder to rest, leaving an uncomfortable hollowness behind that seemed to grow more noticeable the quieter everything became.
So, despite the terrible taste, he c
