The Villain's Hero
Aien - before the loss of his mother turned his father into a murderer.
Between them was Derien Verstarjen looking very much as Aien did now, his hands spread. Where his fingers touched the edge of the frame, an intricately detailed swirl of vine and flower spread to cradle the miniatures of wife and son.
Before the death of his wife, Derien’s magic had been the same as Aien’s, I realized. His misery and grief had turned the gift of life and growing into stone.
I was wearing Aien’s mother’s dress because it had been given to me, I hoped with love in Aien’s heart and as a gesture of reconciliation, but I was not entitled to use her pins I decided as I set the miniatures carefully back from wh