Noctisardor Bypass trigeda

they marched for longer than ava had ever known; a band of exiles fleeing the coastline.

spots of blood appeared on the stones, small rosettes of red that caught ava’s attention. her mama was bleeding. she winced as she set her worn feet in ice.

ava shared a silent glance with her sister when she spoke. it was cold here. there were no lavender fields or soft flowers to greet them. no psalm.

john’s spirits were higher than her own. ava’s reception of the stalwart man had not changed — perhaps unkindly. she still remembered the sound of her sister’s skull on sea stone.

she kept her distance, watching small bands of water run in concentric rings from heda’s paws.

rivenwood.

a befitting name for a family riven by ruin.