21
I never feared the eastern mountains, not as the others in Harane did. I knew the woods on the western slopes, and the trees were my sanctuary.
I joined the Black Bloods, and the mountains became my home. I was never fool enough to believe I could understand the ways of the mountains as a born Black Blood does, but I loved them. I cherished the towering trees. The power deep within the stones grew a storm of longing in my chest.
It wasn’t until the third day of riding behind Liam on our way to the Brien that I actually began to understand the depths of the mountains’ mystery. What I learned gave me no comfort.
