Everyone had abandoned the street by the time Lonan returned to it. Doors still hung open. All the people were turned out of their houses, and continents of pottery shards were scattered outside Serafina Fiamma. There was no fire this time, no scorched feathers. The bodies of the blacksmith and the Runed pirate had been moved, but the blood was left over.

Someone had skewed the gate out of town open towards Eva’s Wall. Lonan could see crowding shapes on the beach, all the way out to the Wall, speaking tensely with one another and embracing. Children were being comforted. Some still searched frantically for family. Lonan rested his hand on the warped wood of the gatepost, fear tight in his gut. He was afraid to cross the threshold.

Anxiety, he told himself. From the crossbow that had almost killed him—the captain’s green eyes, or maybe the sound of Lucinde’s bones cracking. He took a deep breath and jogged across the sandy stretch, scanning the townsfolk for Xan’s pale hair.

–Elyan White, “Lost and Found”

Gettin’ harder and harder to avoid major spoilers in these clips.