The sun rose over the mountains, painting the valley in shades of gold and amber. The birds were singing. The breeze was gentle. The world was peaceful.
But for Ethan, peace was a strange and unfamiliar feeling. It settled over him like a blanket that didn't quite fit. He'd spent so many years fighting, running, hiding. Now, for the first time in his life, he had nothing to fight.
He stood on the porch of the community center, watching the light spread across the buildings below. It had been a month since the shadow had been released into the Frequency. A month of watching Alex integrate this new presence into his connection with the fragments. A month of watching the community grow and thrive.
New families had arrived. More cabins had been built. The school had expanded to include a do
