rn into a world th

ved in the small, conservativ

assaulted Eleanor.

nwood. She saw Elara as a sha

ara emotionally. Som

, Seraphina, was favored.

ent. She watched everythin

. She wanted accepta

festival, Eleanor left five-

Elara. She thoug

lias Thorn

astor of Shepherd' s Light Chap

he was tou

ra nearly fr

e took her to the c

me her

m "Uncle Eli."

little hope. Maybe

ew up in the orphanage

ad developed quiet, deep f

, a savior in her eye

d Elara loved him not a

s hor

He was horrified by t

rch' s image – these we

bacy. Maybe the church elders wat

nished. He beca

r, was engaged to an influentia

she was very sick. She ne

way to solve

e would gain favor with Sera

Elara to ge

rotected by a reclusive, hostile

ngerous. He knew Elar

ejection but still desperat

ed by a man named Silas

er. It was a

not rest. It float

host, unsee

e was calm, stoic in publi

had run away.

reparing to m

would unite the community after

e the church

chill, colder than the woo

d bird for him once, a toke

o his study, where h

e known, a whisper of air, a

en cold. He saw th

the bird. His

emory was a stai

t lingered, was still reach

d it. He r

the small w

irit watche

f hope, a symbol of the littl

om the snow. He had

g her tormentor. He

ng the last

itself begin to

life, the brief hope he

oked at the wooden

en a foolish girl. Her feeli

way was a chi

d the pain he caused

he small bir

splinters i

He had a church to lead

a final, terrible c