The generations multiplied like stars in the sky.
Lena sat on the porch of the old cabin—the original cabin, preserved as a memorial to where it all began, its wooden walls weathered but strong—and watched her family play in the evening light. Children ran everywhere. Dozens of them. Hundreds, maybe. She'd lost count decades ago, somewhere between great-grandchild number forty and the first great-great-grandchild she'd held in her arms.
"Grandma Lena!" A small boy tugged at her sleeve, his dark hair sticking up in every direction. Little Orion, named after the constellation, with Kael's golden eyes and Caspian's thoughtful expression. "Grandma Lena, tell us a story!"
She smiled down at him—this child she'd watched grow from a squalling infant to a curious five-year-old who asked questio
