Book 6: Back to the Inquisition
*Ava*
The parking lot is already half full when I pull in, gravel crunching beneath the tires. I sit for a moment with my hands on the wheel, watching a group of teenagers in cloaks laugh their way toward the front gates. One has a plastic sword, another wears elf ears.
I exhale slowly, then shut off the engine and open the door. Walking around to the trunk, I pull out the boxes of supplies for my booth, carrying the familiar, quiet ache with me, though I hadn’t expected it would ruin my fun today.
The wind catches my hair as I make my way up the path. Somewhere in the distance, a lute plays a lilting tune, and the smell of roasted meat mingles with the crisp bite of early autumn. My boots sink into the soft earth as I pass beneath the arched wooden s
