Dragoncrest Cliffs This place of loss

somber silence lingered. sobeille and yura arrived shortly before a bedraggled lafayette and withdrawn lucette. they formed a circle around shadess, eyes and ears turned as the auburn girl spoke.

at first, disbelief seized sobeille. a stirring of hurt came alive in her gut. maman and tante had both passed her over — despite being the eldest daughter of their thinning tribe?

what had she done?

once the momentary shock subsided, sobeille reminded herself that maman and tante had been very sick; perhaps fever clouded their judgment. though sobeille had been robbed of her birthright, it did nothing to diminish shadess deserving the rank by her own merit. she only wished maman and tante had spoken to her, too. being promoted to carmine couldn’t soften the blow of knowing her maman and aunt avoided her.

a long, mournful minute passed between them. when sobeille’s gaze turned to each of them before resting on shadess. an’ tante chacal? she asked, voice quiet against the distant thrum of the sea. what of their aunt? sobeille trusted shadess deeply, yet a flicker of some hidden emotion crossed her yellow gaze once she realized only shadess had been there to hear her tante and maman’s final wishes.