Day 4

It happened again. Same wall. Same collapse.

I got up.

Outside it was dark. Truly dark. But the sky was clear and the stars were out in numbers I have never seen. I stood there for a long time.

I looked for something familiar. I found nothing.

Highwatch’s sky was never like this. The Storm Barrier took most of it. What little we could see was broken up by cloud and mountain. I never thought to miss it.

I stayed outside until the light changed. It was cold enough that even I felt it settle deep.

Hilda was already up when I came back in. She handed me a cloth without a word and we cleaned the house together.

I think she understood I needed something to do with my hands. I did not argue.