Wreckless Courage
Collin sat hunched over the dinner table, eyes fixed on a shard of blue glass. He slid it slowly across the page, watching the letters shift and flicker beneath its tint. From a small wooden box—forgotten long ago by Jiah—he felt along the bottom until his fingertip grazed another sharp edge. He drew out a sliver of red and layered it over the blue, turning the hue a deep violet.
The cabin was warm, glowing in the flicker of firelight. The air smelled of pine, cedar, and toasted bread—quiet comforts that didn’t ask much of anyone.
Behind him, the fire cracked steadily, competing with the low, affectionate murmur of Aries and Hadria. Their latest battle had raged well into the night—loud enough that Collin had considered going outside to freeze in peace. But now came the aftermath, the ritual softening, the silk-wrapped apologies.
They lay tangled on the rug like exhausted animals, Aries whispering vows so ornate they bordered on theatrical. Promises spun in that breathless, poetic tone reserved only for lovers who’d screamed at each other all through the night.
Collin didn’t turn to look. He could picture it all perfectly. He slid the glass again, letting the words bloom beneath violet.
There came a gentle tap, tap, tap on the front door. Who would be visiting in this weather? The snow had stopped, but it was still frigid outside.
Hadria was already at the door. She opened it a crack and peeked through. In the next moment, she exclaimed with delight and wrenched it wide.
The freezing air rushed in like a starving animal, sinking its teeth into Collin’s side. One half of him burned while the other half froze.
Hadria hastily herded her guests inside. “What are you boys doing here? You must all be frozen!”
Nic stomped in, bringing snow on his boots. “Cold builds character, or so I’m told. I’m holding out for frostbite and enlightenment.”
River shoved past Nic with a groan, followed closely by his dog.
Lekyi greeted Hadria and Collin with a bright smile.
“Can Collin and Aries come out to play?” asked Nic.
Collin closed the book with the glass shard still pressed between the pages. He was glad to see people other than Aries and Hadria.
Nic pulled out a chair and sat down at the table, while River and Lekyi plopped themselves into the armchairs by the fire. Before closing the door against the cold, Hadria quickly swept the snow over the threshold and then tossed a rag over the wet spot on the floor.
“Anyone want something hot to drink?” Aries asked as he rolled over on the rug.
“No drinks for us—we’re on a tight schedule of bad decisions.” Nic leaned in toward the box. “First up: ice fishing.”
Collin ran a hand lazily through his hair and then stretched his arms, shoulders, and back. “Where is Uriah?”
“Oh, poor Uri’s come down with a cough—phlegm and all the musical details,” Nic said with a tragic shake of his head. “He’ll live, but only if he’s allowed to suffer in peace. So Mother kicked me and River out to preserve what little sanity we have left.”
“How do you like living over there?” Aries asked River.
“I love it!”
“My mother’s obsessed with Riv,” Nic said, grinning. “She’s already trying to adopt him for the free medical advice. Says if he moves out this spring, we’ll all die of splinters and poor judgment.”
River looked both embarrassed and pleased. “I like talking to her.”
Nic reached for the crumpled village publication in the middle of the table, smoothing it out like it owed him coin. “Admit it—you like being fussed over. She tells you to drink broth and youactually do it.”
