
Salt and Sky
The first time she saw him, the sea was bleeding. A storm had rolled in overnight, turning the harbor into a cauldron of gray waves that crashed against the docks with relentless fury. Clara stood at the edge of the…
The first time she saw him, the sea was bleeding. A storm had rolled in overnight, turning the harbor into a cauldron of gray waves that crashed against the docks with relentless fury. Clara stood at the edge of the…
The salt-kissed air bit at Clara’s cheeks as she adjusted the lamp’s wick, its golden glow slicing through the predawn gloom. The lighthouse had been her sanctuary since her father’s death, a place where the roar of the sea drowned…
## The Static Bloom The chipped Formica of the diner booth felt cold under Leo Maxwell’s elbows. Rain hammered against the plate glass window, blurring the neon glow of “Rosie’s” into smeared pink and blue. He hadn’t touched his coffee,…
## The Static Bloom The chipped Formica of the diner booth felt cold under Leo Maxwell’s elbows. Rain lashed against the window, blurring the neon glow of “Rosie’s” into smeared streaks. He hadn’t touched his coffee, the steam long dissipated.…
The chipped ceramic of the teacup warmed Lyric’s palms, but did little for the chill burrowing into her bones. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of light slicing through the shuttered window. Valor hadn’t walked in months. Not since…
The chipped Formica felt cool under Leo’s palms. He kneaded, pushed, folded—each motion a futile attempt to work out the knot in his chest. Rye dough. It smelled like…everything. Like his grandmother’s kitchen, like Sundays, like a life he couldn’t…
The chipped ceramic mug warmed Leo’s hands, the steam fogging his glasses. He didn’t bother wiping them. Budapest blurred nicely anyway. Across the cramped table, a woman traced the rim of her own cup, her knuckles white. Her gaze held…
Elisa’s shoulders bunched, a tight knot beneath worn leather. Dust motes danced in the single shaft of light slicing through the high, barred window. Years had scraped against her, leaving a residue of mistrust. “Release it.” Forian’s fingers, calloused and…