Fractured Bond

MAEVIA

The lower hall was nearly empty when I sat down to eat. A single lantern burned above the long wooden table, casting a dull glow across the stone floor. The servants had already finished the evening meal, leaving only a small portion set aside for anyone who arrived late.

I sat alone with a bowl of stew and a piece of bread.

The food tasted plain, but I forced myself to eat slowly. My body