章 131: Seeing with New Eyes

ELRETH

The next day Elreth walked home alone from dinner at the market back towards the cave. Aaryn was gathering his people—the disformed that were joining them for the meeting that evening—and it was the first time she'd been alone all day.

Once she got past the bustle of the Tree City, she walked slowly, enjoying the quiet of the forest in the early evening as the shadows stretched and the birds began to sing goodbye to the day.

She was hopeful… and afraid to let herself hope, she realized.

That morning with the elders had been a much more peaceful, much more productive meeting. Aaryn had carried himself with dignity and strength.

There was a moment when one of the elders asked him to describe the experience of being disformed that had been playing over and over in her mind all day.