Five years have gone by since the last Solstice. Spring embraced Sur Nam Khaar, and the scent of flowers filled the air. The fields were bursting with ripe fruits and vegetables as the harvest drew near. Adjacent to the barn stood a shed, housing a dining hall for thirty and a kitchen equipped for demand, plus ...

How do you move through your life without your usual comforts? It was a question Lacey asked herself daily. Since moving to the city, the once-familiar sounds in her apartment have echoed hollowly, reminding her of emptiness rather than the relationships she had. She was rebuilding a world apart from June, Brooke, and now Syler. ...

Sur Nam Khaar’s history was my obsession when I was a teenager. My dad, Alejandro, needed to intervene and asked Jacob to limit the number of volumes I could take with me when I turned sixteen. Still, I managed to take a fair amount with me. “If you need a guide to show you where ...

Each mystery Anahí brought to light was an affirmation of men’s ignorance. Every new plant and animal walking those lands confirmed our sins were more outrageous than tales told. Otherwise, we would have borne witness to those wonders from the moment we were born. As we left the city, I showered her with questions, many ...

“What do I do now?” Lacey sipped her coffee as Syler’s clear boundary replayed in her mind. “When you figure that out, call me.” He was direct; he wouldn’t settle. Lacey had to decide if Brooke’s presence was worth the chaos. Her hand tightened around her mug so hard that her knuckles whitened. She felt ...

Sur Nam Khaar was a place that changed only with the shifting seasons. Beyond that, male existence resembled that of an old tree–peaceful. We had our duties. Sewing, practicing arts, and cooking, but we also learned about humankind’s history and the Mother’s compassion. Our elders taught us about the Great Cataclysm and the Years of ...

When I was fifteen, the harvest that year was richer than in previous years. Old Shu even seemed to grow younger with so much joy, and realized we needed a bigger barn. He and Jacob asked for the Mage’s aid. Two days later, they roamed the village.  I was summoned to be the cook’s helper ...

Snow had covered Manhattan for three straight days. As the sun rose, Lacey woke up already weighed down by the past few weeks. She felt like she hadn’t left her apartment in ages, though it had only been a few days. As she walked through the living room, she glanced at the couch. Brooke had ...

The happiness I clung to blinded me to her absence. Dim, flickering lights suffused the moment with a ghostly breeze, and I surrendered to it. The atmosphere thickened, every barrier dissolving with the seductive mist. My mind shifted to the problem unfolding before me. Did I do something wrong? The instruments kept playing, mirroring the ...

The music I had waited for all night finally played: her voice. Fireflies and lunar moths made their appearance, presents of the Mother herself, matching the perfect tune of the crickets. Although I felt the danger of losing her was gone, my mouth went dry. “Is there something amiss?” She spoke for the second time.  ...