Josephine sniffed audibly from the corner where she sat primly despite the absolute white knuckled grip she kept on the strider’s basket. Ollie, glanced toward Alessia, careful that Josephine couldn’t see, rolled her eyes, and turned fully to the lady.
Darkest Night
The sky burned. Pausing in the postern gate, Bethon Haley’s eyes widened as she drank in the sight. She wasn’t the only one noticing. Servants had paused in their evening preparations to stare at the sky pointing, whispering, and a handful of voices broke with panic. She didn’t share in the current of panic pushing again her. No, her worry was that even a blind fool wouldn’t miss this. Which assured her that King Gauwill, even cloistered within the court hall, would notice shortly.
Angelic
Isabelle flipped her black hair over her shoulder, glowing at the light burst and the figure disappearing into it. More annoyed at the boy tracking the movement with undisguised adoration in his eyes. How was she supposed to cure him of such veneration?
On the Wind
A glint lay on the table offering the slightest of illumination. Enough to see the outline of the woman sitting across the table from me, but not her expression. The man at the window was less. I couldn’t even swear to his name being Zyn. She might’ve said that once too quickly for certainty.
A Quest for Fane
Raffin Fane gripped the latch to my chambers closed door as if that contact spared him contamination. I glowered and he wrenched his hand free as if burned. I turned my attention back to my hearth.
Eyes Watching
I scowled when the red eyes appeared in the bush. Thankfully Cole’s had his back to it. I grabbed his arm, when he started to turn, perhaps catching my gaze flick from him to the eyes. His words trailed off into silence and I was chagrined to realize I’d lost the trail of what he’d been saying as well.
Gifted
Fanfare erupted from the speakers at my station. Speakers I’d thought purely ornamentation until that moment. For weeks we’d labored in stoic silence, not even daring to speak to each other as we unraveled the code the travelers had gifted us with. Code we either solved or another of their machines awoke to transform a chunk more of the world into a lifeless wasteland.
Messages in the Dark
The low buzz of voices pulled at Ryan, both dragging and shoving him deeper into the station section. As we turned a final corner, doors stood open more than midway down the corridor. I swore time dilated, because suddenly I stood looking at the team working within. Security, medical, all the usual suspects.
Erudite Scholar
Two thoughts entered my mind as I sat stooped over my low table. First, my cushion had become far too thin offering no protection from the stone floor’s imperfections (there were many). Second, I remained unenthusiastic about unannounced visits.
Candlelight Choices
The wood creaked under her feet despite of Darle’s best attempt for stealth yet. “Typical,” Father said. His voice drifted unreal from the parlor. Wood scraped over stone and a small flame sprung to life, quickly followed by the brighter candlelight.