The Warm Updraft

I slipped back inside from the yard, drawn toward the rhythmic hum vibrating through the floorboards. Just past the archway, an ornate iron register exhaled a steady column of dry, soothing heat. I eased down against the painted baseboard at its edge, resting my back against the wall while the warm current stirred the tattered hem of my cloak. My boots, still chilled from the mulch, absorbed the rising warmth. Handset tucked against my ribs and blade flat across my knees, I finally let the tension loosen, watching the dark hallway stretch out into uninterrupted silence.