Chapter 58: The Stain in the Soul
The return to the Anchor was a journey through a ghost town. The oppressive silence of the Trench had seeped into Elara's bones, and now the subdued misery of Stillwater felt like its echo. The bitter taste of ash was a constant companion, clinging to the back of her throat no matter how many times she swallowed.
Boren guided the Kestrel back to its mooring with a palpable relief, his hands trembling slightly as he tied off the lines. He didn't ask questions. The horror on their faces was answer enough.
As they trudged up the cobbled lane toward the orphanage, Elara felt the weight of the town's desperate, unspoken hope like a physical pressure. Whispers trailed them again, but this time they were tinged with a sharper edge a need. They went out. They saw. Can they fix it?
