Ankyra Sound well that’s just not the same.

cayetano was a distant memory. kheviel already forgotten to the shores. etienne and suzu were gone. maman was preoccupied with lucette. sobeille found herself missing maleah.

she wandered down the familiar footpath to ankyra’s secluded beach. it was the first time she dared re-enter ankyra since her encounter with the witch. she stuck to places where there was open sight lines out of abundant caution— but the witch’s scent had long ago been laid over by salt and wind.

as she strolled deeper into the territory she wondered about ajei and arrluk. something ugly stirred in her heart as she thought of the boy - how attentive he was to her friend. she recognized she ought to be grateful ajei had someone looking out for her, but sobeille thought of what her world would look like if she stood in his place.

she kicked at a small rock and watched it spin, leaving a sprawling trace of its edges along the sand.

suddenly inspired to visit the grotto, sobeille turned towards its mouth.