Blanche’s hospitality was as fierce and unrelenting as a midsummer storm in the Fourrivers Province.
As she thrust the cold bun and the hard-boiled egg through the diamond-shaped gaps of the Accordion security screen, Ethan Gray didn't hesitate for a single second. He reached out and took the food into his hands, his fingers brushing against the chilled, slightly rubbery surface of the steamed dough. He knew that any flicker of hesitation, any polite refusal of the sort adults usually traded, would be a jagged blow to the little girl’s pride. To Blanche, this wasn't just a snack; it was an offering of friendship, perhaps the most valuable thing she owned in that moment.
The bun was cold—ice cold. It had clearly been sitting on the table for hours.
Since her Uncle and Auntie wouldn't be
