Author's note: Though Sofia and Xiuhcoatl’s journey came to a close with the final chapter of Setting Free, I found myself unable to let go of the world I built. After years inside this universe—its battles, its bonds, its grief and laughter—I wasn’t ready to say goodbye.
So, I returned to one of the voices still echoing in my heart: Tlacaelel.
There’s something about him. Maybe it’s his sharp tongue. Maybe it’s the humor he hides behind. Maybe it’s the way he carries peace like a blade—deliberate, weighty, necessary. Whatever it is, I fell hard for the smart-mouthed warrior who never expected to survive the war, let alone help rebuild what came after it.
This short story picks up in that in-between: a handful of chapters that follow Tlacaelel as he navigates the quiet after the storm,
