RYN POV
I leave the charred road behind us and step between the scorched timbers of what was once my village. The midday sun beats down, and every hushed ruin feels like a memory burning itself into my mind—until I spot it: our little cabin, its walls whole as if the gods reached down and shielded it from the flames. I inhale sharply, the scent of smoke and pine mingling in my nostrils, and my pulse quickens.
Inside, the hearth stands cold. I kneel and whisper a quick prayer of thanks, then throw on some kindling from the container sitting on the mantel. Since it’s no longer a secret, I use my fire magic to easily start a fire and before long it crackles, painting the room gold. I pad into the bedroom and go to my chest of drawers.
“Here,” I say, turning to Riv with a small bundle in my
