"It shouldn't be cold enough to freeze to death now."

After several days of work by Torvar, preparations were complete to fend off the cold and allow Ashies and me to share the same room.

First, the walls and floor were lined with insulation, and thermoregulating stones were installed in every corner. These stones detected cold and emitted heat as needed. On top of that, Torvar made a sleeping bag.

It was enough to block out most of the cold, though not entirely. A faint chill still crept in, much like sleeping in a tent with a sleeping bag in …