Jade Goldlight's Arc

Chapter 19 of 20

Jade reached the treehouse before the moon rose. Raihan padded inside ahead of her and curled near the hearth. She pulled the handmade book down from the shelf and opened it on the table. The torn pages lay flat under her hand, edges jagged, faint print still showing through. This was the last piece of Hal she had kept. The tree held the rest. This book held the truth. She tore one final page from the binding and held it to the lantern flame. The paper curled, browned, and crumbled into the dish. Jade closed the book and set it back on the shelf, spine out, unmarked. No one would ever ask about it. No one would ever know. She rested her palm on the cover once, then turned away. Hal was ended. The story was hers, and it was done.