Page 10 of Once the Skies Fade

Gesturing toward the dining table, Sera invited us both to sit before she turned back to where a kettle steamed on the stove.

“You still take your tea with entirely too much sugar?” she asked as she swiveled around and placed two mugs on the table before us.

I said nothing, but immediately reached for the small sugar bowl in the center. As I heaped a few spoonfuls into mine, my sister laughed heartily. She dropped her hands onto the back of the empty chair across the table from me, watching as I swirled my spoon around and around to dissolve the sugar crystals.

Sighing loudly, my sister asked, “What do you need, Matthias? It’s not like you to come by unexpectedly. Especially with company.”

Gently, I set the spoon down and clasped my hands together on the table. “A human traveling through.”

“A rebel?” she asked quietly.

“Former one—hopefully.”

“When?”

“Last couple weeks, give or take.”

The chair scraped loudly against the wooden floor as she pulled it out, and it creaked when she sat down. She opened her mouth to speak, but then a small voice came from behind me.

“Uncle Matthias!”

I turned to find my niece running at me at full speed. She launched herself into my arms, and I grunted loudly. Ignoring Tanner’s curious expression, I focused on the young girl in my lap. While she resembled a human of about eight years old with her rounded ears and smaller stature, she and her brother had been born near the end of the war nearly twenty-five years ago. A momentary sting pricked my heart at how much she now resembled her father. The way her mouth twisted into a sarcastic grin and her blue eyes lit up like she was about to play a practical joke on me like her father often had.

But remembering my lost friend was not on the agenda for today, and I focused on the girl before me, scrunching my face as if I were confused.

“Who are you?” I asked.

She slapped both hands on my cheeks and shot me an exasperated look. “It’s me! Lorynne!”

Closing my eyes, I shook my head vehemently. “No. Can’t be. Lorynne is much smaller.”

“I grew!”

I squinted at her for a moment, and then leaned in close, whispering. “My Lorynne is cuter too.”

Showing no offense, Lorynne threw her arms around my neck and squeezed me tightly, as if I hadn’t just visited a couple months ago. Nestling into my neck, she whispered, “I missed you.”

“Missed you too, Ladybug,” I said before planting a kiss onto her head. “But I can’t stay this time, I’m afraid.”

At this, she straightened and eyed me suspiciously for a moment before slumping her shoulders in disappointment. Before she could voice any complaint, though, my sister was speaking to her.

“Lory, I told you not to leave your brother outside.” Lorynne started to protest, but her mother stopped her with a quick lift of her hand. “Go. You can come say goodbye when he leaves.”

“Fine,” she muttered, leaning toward my ear and whispering. “She’s no fun anymore.”

Sending my sister a sidelong glance, I whispered back, “That’s what happens when you get to be that old.”

Lorynne rolled her eyes as she climbed off my lap. “She’s not that much older than you, silly.”

“That’s why we’re both so serious,” I said, pinching my face into the sternest expression I could manage.

“Speaking of serious,” Sera interjected, “go on, Lorynne. Your uncle and I need to finish our talk.”

Begrudgingly, my niece rushed off across the room and out the back door. I caught Sera’s gaze.

“She looks like Gabriel,” I said, struggling to ignore how his name tasted of ash on my tongue.

Sera bit down on her lower lip and nodded. “Indeed. Has more and more of his humor now too.”

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