BAYHAND

Dawn over Bayhand

When Liora staggered back into the open air, dawn was breaking over Bayhand. The storm clouds had vanished as if swept away by unseen hands. The sea lay calm, shining like glass beneath the rising sun. Townsfolk emerged cautiously from their homes, their faces filled with awe and confusion.

She stood on the cliffs, Kael beside her, watching as people wept openly, kneeling to kiss the ground that had not been taken. For the first time in living memory, the town was free from fear. Yet Liora felt no triumph. Her body thrummed with something heavier, the Sea’s presence echoing inside her, as if its tide had taken root in her veins.

Kael looked at her with wonder and sorrow mingled. “You did what none of us could. You made it listen. But at what cost?” His voice was soft, almost reverent.

“I don’t know yet,” she admitted. Every sound seemed sharper now, every wave carrying voices only she could hear. The burden was real, and already she felt its pull, the endless memory of the drowned pressing on her heart.

Still, she squared her shoulders. Bayhand had its dawn, its chance to breathe again. Whatever weight she carried, it was hers alone to bear. That was the bargain she had chosen.