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Raffaele looks around the clearing, searching for one last figure He looks high and low, hoping for footprints in the snow or shadows in the forest line He wishes he could still sense the energy of the living, could pinpoint where she is But even then, he knows that he would arrive at the saone, I sheathed her sword at my belt, draped her cloak over my shoulders, carried her heart in my arms, and, somehoent on

--The Journey of a Thousand Days, by Lia Navarra

Violetta Amouteru

My name is Violetta I am the sister to the White Wolf, and I ah the Karra passages Raffaele had said that time in the immortal realms passes differently fro to us had been months for Maeve’s soldiers--but even so, they stayed, faithfully waiting for her all this tireets her troops, as they cheer her in turn Raffaele stands with the rest of us, his expression solemn and sober Our return did not coiano andsilence that neither of us can break We ithout talking We look without seeing We eat without tasting I want to say sos around our fire, but I don’t knohat What difference would it one All I can do is turnfor oddess ain of our own I search and search the skies until sleep claiht after that Magiano watchesfor, though, and I cannot bear to tell hiht, as we at last begin our voyage back to Kenettra, I find Magiano standing alone on deck, his head bowed He stirs, then looks away as I join his side "The ship is too still," he mutters, as if I had asked him why he is awake "I need some waves to sleep properly"

I shakefor her too"

We stand for aout at the stars iano doesn’t look at me I remind hi pause

"Don’t be" A small, sad smile touches his lips "She chose it"

I turn away froain They are particularly bright this evening, visible even as the three le I find Co out in the blackness like torchlight I had knelt at the feet ofwith a voice choked by tears, and she had made me a promise Had she not? What if none of it were real? What if I dreahtens besidefar away

I look too And I finally see what I have been waiting for

There, prominently in the skyis a new constellation It is e-red, forns with Compasia’s Swan

My hands cover my mouth Tears well in my eyes