Chapter 36

Rose

We weren't supposed to return with the same number of people we left with. We were supposed to come back with at least one more. Losing Grayson changed everything – for all of us.

“Abby?” I tried to get my sister’s attention. “Abby please eat.” She shook her head.

“Abby, please. For me.” She took a bite of the fish I had for her.

“Thank you,” I said, relieved. It was a start. That bite was the most she’d eaten in three days.

Abby was little more than a ghost. She hadn’t spoken since we left the Keep, and she’d barely eaten. It frightened me how small and scarred she had become.

“How is she?” Thomas asked one night.

“The same,” I answered. “Still not talking, but I have gotten her to eat a few times.”

“Well, that’s an improvement, at least,” he replied.

“I miss my sister,” I said softly.

“We all do, Rose,” he replied sadly. “We all do.”

The trip back across the Sea felt much shorter than expected. Every so often, we would see signs of the various stone creatures tha