Heartstone - Chapter 46: Chapter 46

The moon hung low, a silver eye above the quiet village. Fires burned gently in their pits, casting long shadows across the dirt and stone. The sounds of the day—hammering, shouting, digging—had faded into a still silence.
On the edge of the village, by the cliff where the stars touched the treetops, Avera stood alone, arms wrapped around herself. Her hair blew softly in the night breeze as she stared out over the valley.
Dalen approached quietly, his footsteps careful not to startle her.
“You always find the highest places,” he said with a smile.
“It’s where I can breathe,” she replied softly.
He handed her a small carved cup of warm herbs. “The last one. We’ll need to stay sharp tomorrow.”
They drank in silence for a moment, watching the stars.
“Do you think we’ll survive this?” she asked.
Dalen looked at her. “I don’t know. But I know we’ll fight. And I’ll protect you—with everything I have.”
Avera turned to him, eyes searching his face. “I’m not afraid of dying,” she said. “I’m afraid of not finishing what my father started. Of letting them win.”
He touched her hand. “Then we won’t let them.”
The night wrapped around them, soft and cold. A wolf howled far in the distance. From below, the crackling of firewood echoed faintly as soldiers slept with weapons at their side.
Avera leaned her head on Dalen’s shoulder. For that one moment, with war on the horizon, they let silence be their comfort.