20
“Milly Marietta, what has got you so heated up?” asked Renny, as he and Hodgenock entered the room. Renny looked around at all the new faces and then focused on the gnomes. “You were supposed to stay at Pleasant Seas.” The gnomes frowned and looked away.
“Renny, you should sit down,” said Esther. He stared at her, suspiciously.
“I don't want to sit down,” he said. “Tell me what's happened.”
“Pleasant Seas is no more,” said Esther, placing a hand on his arm. Mr. Scrine's mouth opened, but no sound came out. The room grew quiet. It was no secret that Pleasant Seas meant everything to him. Not a day went by when he wasn't meticulously caring for the place and its residents. “What do you mean by, it's gone?” he asked, softly.
Nodrik stepped forward. “They burned it to the ground, my fr
