Ruli shrugged, unfolding himself from the bed long enough to take the offered mug, unable to decline since it was already poured. When he was settled again, he embraced the mug with his fingers, glancing out toward the windows. Blizzard. He only knew the word from other mouths, but knew it to be terrible. Hell, even the snowfall outside was too much for his desert-bred body.

He glanced back to Kire as she answered his question about Elva, catching the way her eyes fell on the bed beside him. His mind stopped as he gaze at her, suddenly very much aware that they were alone and drinking. But, no, that couldn't possibly be what she meant. Empress or no, they weren't close, and she had already explained that the last time she reeled from danger and near-death, she fell under someone she came to regret.
Ruli cleared his throat, his eyes falling to his cup. He couldn't tell if he felt warm because of the wine, bath, and blankets, or if it was something else. To busy himself, he took a drink of his wine, which had in fact, cooled enough to teach him that temperature did matter with this particular recipe.

"And you other cousins?" Ruli redirected. "How many of them are here?"