Book 3: Needing Help

Candace

I sit in my bedroom in Kar Castle, staring at the metal-reinforced sheet of wood over my window. The bag I packed to move into town lays on its side at the foot of my bed, saliva drying on the handle, but I can’t imagine being frustrated with Kash right now. Holding the door like that… it proves there’s still some hope for him. For us, I guess. I believe him when he says he wouldn’t have done that for the others, but even if it was only for me, the pain in his whine feels important. He risked something.

The scrap of fabric in my lap I’m supposed to be embroidering tears. I look down at it with a wince. Worrying the unfinished edges maybe wasn’t the best idea, but the tear hasn’t technically reached the lopsided, ugly skycatching warbler I’ve been trying to replicate. With a groan, I throw the fabric onto the table beside me and squeeze my eyes shut.

Thinking about Kash is easy. Thinking about the warm, smoky smells of cooking fires from the