Page 4 of Her Unending Horizon

“It is.”

“The trees look sharper,” she said. “Like they could cut someone.”

“That’s intentional.”

She nodded, absorbing that. “And Seris looks different.”

I shouldn’t have been surprised that Bella would notice; she’d always been wiser than her years. All the family figured at nine she should really be in college. “How does she look different?” I asked her.

“She’s not scared here,” Bella said after a moment. “She’s sad. But she’s still going.”

Something tightened behind my ribs. God, that kid could hit you right in the heart.

“That’s a good observation.”

“The mouth of babes,” Trenda muttered.

Bella returned to studying the artwork. “What happens to Kael here?”

I swallowed. “He makes a choice.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Yes.”

“Does it save anyone?”

“Yes.”

She considered that. “That seems fair.”

“Would you like to do some inking?” I asked my niece.

Her eyes widened. “For real?”

“Absolutely.” I walked over to the table and pulled out a blank piece of Bristol board, then set her up. Bella glanced at the pens lined up beside the board. “Are those the special ones?”

“Yep.”

“Can I try one?”

I hesitated, then handed her a fine-tip Micron. “Careful. Ink doesn’t forgive.”

She took it reverently, holding it like a fragile artifact. “I’ll be careful.”

She capped the pen again without using it and set it back exactly where it had been. “I just wanted to feel how heavy it was. I want to use pencil first like you do. I want to get it right before I start inking.”

I loved this girl. I really did.

I pulled out my pencils and handed them to her. “Go get ‘em.” I didn’t ask her what she was going to draw, I wanted to be surprised.

I walked back to where Trenda was and watched as she lowered Drake into his carrier on the floor. He made a small, unhappy sound, fists waving.

“He just ate,” she said. “But he usually fusses before he settles down.”

“That’s okay,” I said automatically.

Her gaze flicked to my arms, then away. She didn’t comment. She didn’t need to.