The swing’s seat was made of spongy vines woven together, and it was held aloft by the tree. Behind her stood her mother, pushing her higher and higher. Briar Rose loved to go high in the air, so very, very high, and then she would jump off and float to the ground, the win...
She would watch him chopping wood from her window, telling herself it was because she wanted to know when he finished and came inside. But, part of her liked watching him, liked watching the way his muscles flexed and bent as he slammed the axe down. Liked watching his breath become labored if he...
Only, he’d wanted to see for himself. And now he wished he’d hadn’t come. Heinrich said the woman’s injuries looked worse in the light of the day, the bruises fully forming. Her skin had horrific blackish blue blotches, her neck was several shades of dark red, and you could still tell, if you kne...