She said we were going to see him. Said it would be peaceful. Said I’d enjoy the break. She promised—again and again—that it was only for a few days. And I followed, like I always did. I believed her, trusted her, because she was my sister and everything she did had that wild confidence, that sparkl
GAVINShe moved the incense tray from the south window to the altar shelf like she owned the place. I caught the flick of her sleeve just as she unrolled one of the sealed scrolls and smoothed it flat over the lunar map. Her mouth was moving when I entered, muttering something about clutter and lack
COWRIEHe brought me a book the morning after our wedding, something bound in cracked leather, old pages smelling like salt and coal smoke.“It’s from the southern coast,” he said, brushing dust off the spine. “I thought you might like the poems. They’re written in three languages—two I know, one I
SOLENNEThe guards opened the war room doors without a word, and I walked in like I’d been summoned to a trial. Gavin stood behind the long table, fingers pressed flat against the table, his coat still buttoned.Cowrie stood by the arched window, arms crossed, lips pressed into a hard line and silve
COWRIEMy hands were deep in the basin, scrubbing the soot from yesterday’s pot. Micah had disappeared into the trees just before dawn, hunting for mushrooms.My sleeves were damp, curls stuck to my face, and I was humming. The world was still. The breeze was soft. Then the door shattered.Solenne s
GAVINThe wax cracked as I broke the seal, red crumbling under my thumb like dried blood. The letter came from the northern court, carried by a hawk that barely caught its breath before I tore the scroll from its satchel.I skimmed past the formalities, the greetings, the exaggerated gratitude, unti