The Firecracker's Secret

“And it always will,” Elise said gently. “In life, there are storms that pass. But they’re not always bad.” She paused, letting her gaze drift—briefly, deliberately—between Kaelen and Lyra.

“Sometimes, they come to clear the path.”

The words were offered lightly, almost conversational, yet their meaning settled heavily between the two of them—quiet advice wrapped in grace.

Then Elise shook her