The smell of salt and smoke filled the house. It's the kind that lingers in wood after too many winters, not the kind that chokes you.
Lila walked carefully, nearly silent steps. She sat across the table, poured tea without asking if I wanted any, and placed it in front of me.
We were silent for a while. The only sounds were the slow hum of the sea beneath the cliffs and the wind against the windows.
“You look like him,” she said finally.
My hands stopped shaking long enough for my voice to come out. "You knew him?"
She gave one nod. "A long time ago. Before any of this started .”
She glanced in the direction of the fireplace. The flames were gentle, low, and soft. the kind that make you remember instead of forget.
“He told me you might come,” she whispered. “But I didn’t believe hi
