Chapter 29: The Ash Solstice: Book 1 - The Sun Curdled

Part 2:I wake to the smell of fresh bread.Dad is already laughing with the morning customers before the festival begins. Someone asks for two sweet rolls. A little boy reaches over the counter, stealing one before Dad can stop him. He only laughs and ruffles the boy’s hair.“You’ll be the death of my profits, Leo.”I smile.Then an arrow flies.The smell of bread becomes ash.As I open my eyes, there is no bread. There is no arrow. There is only cold. The blue glow of the fire is gone. Vespar lies across from me. Has he always been so calculating? He got us out of there. He weighed his options and picked me. And instead of fighting further to get us to safety, he picked here. He couldn’t have known about the grate; I had to help bring us both in from the cold. But the cost? I sit up and look across at him just as he starts to stir. It is so cold.“Are we actually leaving?”If this was the path he chose, then I wanted him to choose the next one too.I didn’t want to leave.I didn’t want to stay.I just didn’t want to choose anymore.