Chapter 60

Luke’s breath caught in his throat when he absorbed the hidden forest the cave led to, where the trees were greener and lusher than usual. But there were bald spots where they didn’t grow. Slipping in gave him the sight of more bald spots, where the charred wooden pieces and old signs of life became more visible. She stilled at the first look. Then Maya kept moving with purpose, and he followed suit, securing the place before returning to where she was.

“Maya?”

“The ashes were swept away by the wind or swallowed by the soil,” she mumbled, taking in the grounds. “The burned pieces…no one moved them.”

There were a few huts that didn’t burn completely, so they went inside one. Here, Maya trembled until he had to soothe her back, then slide her into a comforting hug.

“This was the clan leader’s hut. He insisted on keeping it equal for everyone.”

“He sounds like a nice man.”

“He was to us. I wasn’t close to him, but I knew he would have done anything for us.” A pause. “The other hut…it was