Chapter 24: Town Shadows

I felt the heavy burden of what Caystance said weigh on me as we parted ways and I was escorted with Erich back to the carriage. I knew that the Bokstein fortune had gone a long way to helping the village sustain itself. With it and all of the men gone, as well as the village destroyed, what would the survivors do? How would they be able to start over?

Along the way, I noticed a group of women between the barracks and the farm picking weeds and flowers. I recognized Lilith from the village square and smiled wondering if she was still able to make soaps and oils here.

I almost called out to her, but stopped myself, realizing fully that even though I was a human and seemed to be Erich’s prisoner, my position was not the same as theirs. I had never been one of them, having married into Marius’ family as a bastard child of my father’s. Now, I was even more removed and it was more than obvious that I could not possibly be one of them. Not now, not ever.