Novel Bin
Chapter 22: A Warm Hearth, A Shifting Wind
The familiar dirt path leading up to the cottage was just as Eryk remembered—lined with weathered stones, wildflowers curling around them, and the distant murmur of the village winding down for the evening. The sky above was painted in hues of deep orange and purple, the last breath of sunset clinging to the clouds.
As he crested the final hill, he saw her.
A small figure, perched on the window’s edge like a bird, her cheek pressed to the glass.
Aria.
Nine years old now, though she always felt older somehow. Wise in ways children weren’t supposed to be. She had sensed his return, like always. No message. No word. Just that quiet, uncanny knowing. The moment her eyes met his, her face lit up with a joy so fierce it made something in his chest ache.
She was out the door before he could take another step.
“Eryk!” she shouted, sprinting down the hill, curls bouncing wildly.
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