Chapter 47
Kol and Kessa were going over their duties for the coming week. She raised her head, sniffing at the air “do you smell that?”
They both went to the balcony. In the distance, toward the beach a fire was raging. They ran as fast as they could toward it. Other citizens joined them along the way. Soldiers kept the citizens off the beach but allowed Kol and Kessa through. Bejhar and the soldiers were packing sea water to fight the growing flames. Max met them. He was covered in sot.
“Bonfire gone wrong?” Kol asked.
“I don’t think so my king.”
“Mordechai,” Kessa yelled. Kol grabbed her by the shoulders. “Mordechai.” She struggled against him.
Max lowered his head, “there is a body in there.”
“God, let them have been dead first.” She sank to her knees in the sand. “Let them have been dead.”
Kol and Max just stared at each other.
It took all night for the fire to burn out.
Whenever they could get close enough, they put water near and moved debris from around the body.
At the temple, Kol and Kessa stood over the little frame. “Is there any way to know if this is a child?” Kol asked.
Rajaf sighed, “I know of none. Frego is in the library researching.”
“We have to find out who this was?”
He put General Marcus in charge of a kingdom wide search to find if anyone was missing. Everyone, even on the outskirts of the city. The people who camped out at the wall. Everyone was to be asked. As General Marcus did that, Kessa sent Bejhar to Brum and Teo to find out if anyone was missing. They were to be informed discretely about the remains.
Many evenings, Kessa found herself drawn to the balcony. Something in the direction behind her house, across the mountains, something was out there. Kol noticed as well. Many times he would get to missing her only to find her on the balcony.
Poetry & More 