For a moment, she forgot where she was. Her hand reached for the edge of her mat, expecting the
mat. No clay fl
dy crackle of a fire, and the deep, ancient
me
er's eyes, wide and gla
ted. She pressed her palms against her face, tryin
as
nd her like a rough blanket. She looked up to see Kael sitting on a log ne
t but unyielding, like
afe now,"
a
oreign in her m
of pine grounding her in the present. Her scar pulsed softly, no longe
" she asked, h
rest around them. "Deep in the Northern R
ed, bitterness cree
ch. "They'll com
he cold sinking into her bones. The fire crackled, and somewhe
distance between them, ho
" he
of herbs and meat making her stomach twist painfully with hunger. Slow
e whispered, su
k to give her space, sitt
ing thing, filled with the soft rustle of leaves, the distant
verything-the forest, the wind, the crackle of the fire. His eyes were sharp, but the
about?" she asked befor
f his mouth twitching in what mig
he sai
at the bowl in her hands, the broth rip
she said, so softly she al
he
. When he finally looked back at her, his eyes were s
ed eating, Kael stood, brushing off hi
"There's somethin
hat lay beyond the safety of the fire gripping her for a moment. But som
he trees growing thicker, the air colder. The scar on her wrist tingl
to a clearing,
one, smoke rising from the chimneys into the morning sky. People moved through the paths between the
ey turned, had eyes that
k," Kael said qu
others cautious, but none were unkind. A small child with dark braids peeked out
ys, Elara felt something
of herbs and smoke heavy in the air. Inside, a woman with long silver hair
es-sharp and gold-softene
chosen," the woman said
. "I didn't ch
rved in a sad smile
this is Nana Isha. She's the
"Not so old that I can't pu
a
sit, taking her hand gently, tur
l," the old wo
, confused. "
softly, tracing the mark with a finger
ck, clutching it to her
rm hand on Elara's cheek. "Want it or not, chi
eyes, and she turned a
dy. "You don't have to accept it all a
nesty in his gaze, and for a mome
heir stories. Some had come as children, found in the forest, marked by the moon. Others
They were strong, but they were also kind. They were a family
ring in soft gold, Kael led her to the edge of the
cool against their skin, watch
do this," Elara whisper
s catching the last rays of
redness in his eyes, the weight he carried, and
u," she w
ce as the stars began to appear, o
first time since t
low over the forest, and of wolves running benea
wrist was warm, not burning, a qu