Of Flame, Sand, and Gold

en differently since the

re. They were languages. Warning. Memory. A different kind of

with seven short stri

fr

Not entirely. But because

Or

tly to the frame, her ears tuned not just to sound but to si

eady sweating, already tense. But the feeling in her chest was

ne hand over

fferently now. Her hunger came in waves like the tide. And her dream

child, she tho

ncealed exits, the hidden room beneath the floorboards with the old spear tucked neatly be

ad or disappeared. She

ted for him

things. Her focus. Her plans. Her resolve. Grief h

bell struck, he

door; just as a knock e

d. Not

inten

eath h

a siege. Not unless

erneath. The same one Kaelen had made. Inside: a curved dagger, a short-hand

it without

her

, familiar, and e

open up. I

urprised, but because she wasn't sure what kin

owly. "You've got a te

et, I always arrive r

, letting her in.

meone who knew every creak of the floorboards. She remo

e said. "They've started targeting

ened. "That

us," Amara

nd bolted it behind her

ect you. You and wh

ain to her stomach, t

yalty," she said softly. "You'

"I'm here because your mother asked me to be. Be

er, hard. "She's

Amara said, half-smiling.

table, laying the spear be

ra replied. "Or yo

ty. It was full of shared memories; broken dinners, buried rebelli

roke it. "Do you kn

tated. "He

fingers curled tightly ar

alive yet," Amara contin

e tension in her shoulde

owns," she whispered.

She never did, not f

hrough fire first," sh

ed. "We al

oor. "Rest tonight. Pack l

d her, Zaria stood and l

, the seventh b

rter, maybe beneath a different sky -