Chapter 28: Mersa.

IT DIDN’T EVEN look like Anoka’s chest was rising and falling anymore. Smudges of ash no longer puffed from her ears or leaked from her eyes. There was only thick grime around her mouth.

Sitting next to his niece, Render lit the tip of his finger on fire and placed the flame on Anoka’s lips. She took it in, but there was no smoke or billows of black ash.

As Render sat in the forgotten mersa room, he pondered how much he missed the days when ...