5
Zaviana peered through the bushes at the village. It was small, as small as the village near the farm she’d grown up on. She glanced down at her hands. The chains were gone. Derkas put some trust in her. She wondered how long it would last. Still, he didn’t leave her out of his sight. He stood behind her, watching over her as if she were a child.
She stepped forward, out of the bushes, and walked toward the village. Several buildings had been burned, but they were no longer on fire. Some were charred, while others were ashes. People in the village dragged bodies across the ground to a cemetery. Fresh graves were being dug.
No one even noticed when Zaviana and Derkas blended into the crowd. A gloom filled the air. People were distraught. Zaviana had a suspicion of what happened the nig
