The smoke was a living thing, a thick, black beast that tore at my throat and blinded my eyes. I hit the wet grass of the estate grounds with Toby clutched so hard against my chest I was afraid I’d break his ribs. Behind us, the north wing of the Thorne mansion didn't just burn; it screamed. The roar of the fire was punctuated by the shattering of priceless stained glass and the groaning of ancient timber giving up the ghost.
"Toby... Toby, look at Mommy," I choked out, my voice sounding like broken glass.
His small face was smeared with soot, his golden curls singed at the tips. He didn't cry. He was too terrified to cry. He just stared at the inferno with wide, glassy eyes, reflecting the end of his world.
I looked up at the skeletal remains of the nursery. The roof had completely cav
