After four days at the cottage, Katreena was still at a loss of what to do once she returned to the palace. Staying at the cottage was a pleasant diversion from her situation, but it wasn't a remedy. Her aunt said that things would become clear with time, yet she was becoming concerned that time was not bringing her any answers and that with each passing day her situation would just become more complicated. As she sat, she made a fire in the little stone pit just outside the cottage. She could have used the firestones if she was just cold, but she liked real fires. The smell of the burning wood and the flicker of the flames helped to focus her thoughts. The early summer evening was gentle and the night sky bright. As the stars came out, she could not help but think of Roy. She wond
