Chapter 57

In the three days that followed, Maxi pored over the books Ruth had given her, taking only occasional breaks to visit the stables to brush Rem's mane. A week had passed since Riftan's departure for the goblin raid, and she was growing more anxious by the day.

Though winters in Anatol were known to be mild, a cold snap had swept across the land without warning. To collect water from the well, the servants had to break through a thick sheet of ice.

The sudden drop in temperature only intensified Maxi's fears. Her heart ached when she pictured Riftan sleeping curled up on the frozen ground, and she felt guilty as she climbed into her warm bed each night. Even when she had her nose buried in a book, she would pause to peer out of the window for signs of Riftan's return, but all she saw was the harsh wind blowing through the vast garden below.