Chapter 163

• The morning light in Kyoto was softer than I expected. It didn’t push through the windows the way it did back home. Instead, it eased in slowly, touching the walls as though it was checking if the day was ready. I sat at the small table in my hotel room with a cup of tea, watching the steam rise in delicate swirls. Today was my first full day at the artisan’s workshop, and I could feel a quiet anticipation sitting just under my skin.
• Julian had offered to walk me there, but I told him I wanted to make the journey alone. Not because I didn’t want him with me, but because I wanted to take in the walk without conversation, to notice the sound of the street and the way the shopfronts looked before the shutters came up. The air was cool but carried a faint warmth from the sun that was just beginning to climb.
• The workshop sat at the end of a narrow lane lined with small houses and potted plants. I might have missed it if I didn’t know what I was looking for. There was no sign, just a sliding wooden door with the faintest carved pattern along the edge. I knocked gently, though I could hear movement inside.