A heavy, quiet blanket of white lay over the high granite bluff at six o'clock in the morning. The dark grey clouds of the night had cleared away, leaving behind an icy air that bit sharply at any exposed skin. Out across the bay, the sea rolled in slow, heavy swells of deep slate blue, hitting the frozen rocks at the water's edge with a dull, steady rhythm. The world outside was cold, clean, and silent under the pale light of dawn.Inside the kitchen of the community center, the broad iron stove roared with a fresh fire of dry birch logs.Elowen stood near the long wooden worktable wearing a thick forest-green wool dress. A crisp white apron was tied snugly around her waist, and her dark hair was gathered into a smooth, thick knot at the nape of her neck. Her father's gold locket rested warm against her collarbone, catching the flickering amber light from the hearth. She worked without pause, measuring coarse flour into a large clay bowl, pouring in fresh buttermilk, and kneading the
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