The road forked inland toward my mortal lover’s cottage, and I slowed as the path became more familiar. Familiar, and yet unfamiliar still. The landscape was scarred, and many trees seem to have died. A dreadful discomfort rose in my stomach like bubbling bile, and my suspicions were only confirmed when I happened across a young woman walking hurriedly in the opposite direction.

“Where are you bound, sir?” she surprised me by speaking first as I approached.

“The cottage of McKinley Parish,” I said, “do you know her?”

The woman shook her head sadly. “I only know of her, these days. A force of unnatural destruction resides where that poor woman once lived.”

She tried to walk past me but I stepped in front of her, frowning. “What do you mean? Is she there, or isn’t she?”

“That’s not for me to say-” the woman’s eyes flitted over the cut of my sifan clothing, pausing with curiosity on the thonged Akashiman sandals. “My lord. All I know is that I’m the only one fool enough to go there anymore. Good day.”

She gave a neat half-curtsy and then skirted around me and trudged away, still wearing that same sad expression on her face. I watched her go for a long moment and then resumed my quick march towards the cottage.

The meadow surrounding the little structure looked as disheveled as the rest of the countryside, but Kinley’s cottage was blessedly intact. With little idea of what I might find within, I moved to the front door and inhaled deeply through my nose.

I smelled fear, chaos, and above all… sorrow. I could sense a force of great power from within… that couldn’t be Kinley, could it? But if it wasn’t… it might belong to someone who knew her whereabouts.

I tugged the door open and strode in to the familiar home where so man happy memories lived. The ghosts of myself and Kinley sat at the kitchen table, laughing over eggs and toast and tossing bits of bacon to Nymeria. I shook my head to clear the visions and moved deeper into the little house.

“Who’s here?” I demanded of the presence I could still sense, “and what are you doing in McKinley Parish’s home?”