did no
aceful, but no longer heavy with unspoken things. The walls did not groan with memory as they once had, and
er arms and dust in her throat. The restoration had begun not with stone or gold, but wi
l bound in cracked leather. Her brother's init
rentice archivist beside her, a quiet boy from Velbridge named Elias not the
arefully, as thoug
te this before the
ght up to the we
pages, reverent. "Why did
ause some people thought si
ce still cool, still dim, but no longer oppressive. Oil lamps now lined the walls. E
re dusted with plaster. He had spent the morning helping repair the collapsed floor in the north wing he clai
box down
terials," he said. "Nothing but
. "Those are Thorn
f labeled Unclassified. He still didn't like being down
"I keep thinking about Tomas. Ho
ogging. "He was always the one who believ
tated. "But sometimes I
g moment. Then, "Maybe. But
est drawing room now housed a rotating display of personal artifacts portraits, ribbons, candleholders
on it: the ordin
ge Historical Society a small, graying woman named Dr. H
place," Dr. Hollis said, peerin
a replied. "And it never
wly. "You've made a sanctu
ly restored and displayed on a small easel. It was of her fath
id softly. "I did it for the ones they
's shoulder. "That's what history is for, my dea
where the piano had finally been tuned. The old windowpanes still ratt
ow how to play, not really but his fingers found something
inst the doorfr
mproved,"
eplied, not looking up. "Wh
d, "Do you think people will forget? Once this
ow, looking out at the dar
htly. "Does th
hy we're doing this. So even if th
hoes last long
rprise came
d, addressed only to The
map aged, hand-drawn, bearing the layout of a t
der. "That can't be right
a finger over one passage mar
the cellar, behind a bricked wal
erns and crowbars, th
way after an h
nd filled with old dust, but unmistakably part of th
l chamber no bigger than a closet. Inside were two tr
to the sky. At the center stood a child holding a candle. The
closer, bre
rs, toys. Clearly belongings of som
and read the fi
remember who I am."Mira sat down slowly on
d. "This was his. From bef
this life. But he
ing the items, their sil
ed the trunk gently and whisp
exhibit on false i
ealed. No direct
ural was
it, in ca
e made to forge