章 16: Chapter 16: Loss

*The Hunting Party*

Brynn’s absence was like a thick fog constantly surrounding the hunting party as they traveled south. Every move they made was shrouded in the swirling gray of their loss.

While Maeve refused to paint her grief in the sound of sobs or wailing; she never seemed to lack for silent tears. In her efforts to shield the others from seeing her weakness by slipping between the trees or darting ahead, she had inadvertently caught Vesta in the same act.

The image of Vesta’s face - red, puffy, and tear-streaked as she veered sharply away - imprinted itself in Maeve’s mind. Knowing she was not alone in her pain should have been a comfort, but Vesta’s normally hard, gray eyes swimming with tears had hit her like a knife to the chest.

Cormac and Trevor were quiet. There were no more charming fireside stories. There was no more banter. Those two spoke only when necessary, and even then, they kept any conversation largely between themselves.