"If ever something was lost...Zuri Ayim was the one who could recover it."
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Twelve years ago, a meteorite fell among the seven city-states of Kiro, and birthed a new legend. They are calle...
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Celandine's grandeur bled all throughout its grounds, and the castle's infirmary was no different.
The floors were pale marble, the three beds made of deep mahogany carved into elegant, swirling designs. A stained glass depiction of the god Kiro, the mythical founder of all the city-states, glared at Aldric from its place high up on the wall. The god's arms were raised above His head, a sphere of light levitating between His open hands. His eyes were closed, head ducked, as if He were in the middle of performing a miracle.
Aldric sighed, letting his gaze return to Chike, who lay asleep in one of the beds. He could certainly use a miracle.
It was over, he thought. Vernon was dead, the war was stopped; by some strange bout of luck they had managed to make it home alive. And yet Aldric had the undeniable, itching feeling that nothing would ever be like it was before they left Naino, that something had changed, that they had changed. It chased him like a gruesome night terror, its intangible claws groping for him in the dark.
He remembered the moment he'd seen the white flag whip up, rippling in the wind. He'd clutched the ship's railing, half in a daze, at once so relieved and so utterly terrified. He still felt like that now.
A brief knock sounded on the door, and a moment later, Jem stepped into the room. She looked—clean, he supposed, her blouse and shorts pressed of wrinkles and a new, well-polished pair of boots on her feet. She'd swept her thick dark hair back from her face, and at last she no longer needed the eyepatch, though a fine scar decorated the skin just below her lower lash line.
"Hey," she said, almost whispering. She cast a concerned glance at Chike. "He hasn't woken up yet?"
Aldric shook his head. Twenty-four hours had passed since they'd brought Chike in, and he'd lost consciousness at some point during the warming process. He hadn't opened an eye since.
"What are the others up to?" Aldric asked as Jem dragged a stool over.
"Kalindi's in a meeting with her mother," said Jem, and when Aldric widened his eyes, Jem laughed uncomfortably. "I know. I don't even want to think about what's going on there."
"Zuri? Sorin?"
"Zuri said she needed to run an errand. Sorin went with her."
Aldric winced. "They just stitched him up last night, and he's already out and about running errands?"
Jem shrugged. "He is dense. We knew that already."
"Yes," Aldric admitted. "I suppose we did."
For a moment, neither of them spoke, and Aldric let the silence thicken, taking in a deep breath, inhaling the scents of clove essence and stringent disinfectant. His nostrils tingled with it; he felt like sneezing.
"Well, Mr. Finck," said Jem, leaning forward. "What will you do now?"
He pushed out a long breath. "An excellent question. I would tell you if I knew."
