She pushed his black hair out of his gray eyes, kissed his cheek, and said, "You may go out and play u

by the stream. As the boy traveled, he did not chat with the other children. His mind was focused on getting to his experi

tiny fairies dance across the current, lighting up the blue-green water like a thousand fireflies drifting in the wi

roudly, "We have the most wondrous and enchanting township in all the region. We will

regularly noticed the grace that

take a step in the direction of the scream, when he spotted the flames shooting up over the tree line. The worry disappeared, an

e chained and being herded into a hastily made prison surrounded by guards. The boy was smart, so he understood that his only chance to save his mother was

ning to her as she screamed at her guards, the boy mentally cataloged the sound of her voice. He took his time and memorized every de

pter

hrowing yet another tantrum. It made him sad that, at the mere age of eight, he behaved far more grown-up than his mother. Once again, he looked to t

from his maternal influence, her constant screeching, and the terrified cries of the townsfolk. As he trudged away, he noticed a boy about his age staring up at Orion's mother with unabashed hatred on his face. Orion did not want to call attention to the boy, so he

y put together. If they tried to escape, his mother, Genève, killed them immediately. So many bodies lie scattered on the dirt road and in the grass that he coul

d a young troll with a whip. The tr

ll do your bidding-pleas

obeyed me. You will die. I will use you as an example so

he troll was only a child. He stepped in between his mother and the tr

proven to everyone that they must obey you. Look around you, Mother. What i

red the whip and pointed at the troll. "Leave my sight. I

o her. "Orion wishes to be punished to spare one ins

a determined look on his face. He did not cry out or shed a tear. By the tenth lash, his rear looked like raw meat and f