Spade is young. He doesn’t have a lot of world experience. All he does is go to school. Mr. Nevyle is really funny with his wobbly walk. And he is beginning training, though it worries his mom when he is given a sword. Even if the size is more like a toothpick.

What he does notice is that something has changed within his sister, Cove. He can see that. While she is much older than him (she would argue not that much), she always makes time for all of their siblings. He likes to think he is a soft spot for her, being the youngest among them and all.

What he does know is that Cove is sad. She used to be happy, almost giddy. But now, it is like a blue filter is over her.

And she is unable to see any other color.

Tugging on her poofy skirt, he directs her attention to him. Once she looks at him with the pretty emerald eyes that his mom fawns over, he asks, “Cove, can I heal you?”

With all of them being healers (except Amerie, which he doesn’t get either), it doesn’t make sense why no one tries.

“I’m not hurt,” she is confused. Her eyes brows get closer together.

“But you’re hurting.”

She kneels down to his level, her many layers billowing onto the floor. “Where?” she questions, curious. No matter what, she always made sure to show him that she wants to know what he means. Never makes him feel stupid or foolish.

Her dress has a bunch of twinkly, sparkly stuff that feels prickly on his finger when he points to her chest, “Your heart.”

A soft smile grows on her face. Spade doesn’t understand why she is smiling when she was just sad.

“Emotions, Spade, can’t be healed, not by our powers. They can be through time and work. But that comes from me.” He sees her eyes search his for any type of understanding.

Spade guesses it makes sense. Their healing powers have their limits. He just didn’t get why she couldn’t be fixed.

As if she could see his little mind working, she adds, “There is no shortcut for this.”

“Della said that your heart was cracked. If it is just cracked, why can’t our healing work?” Spade asks.

She tries to look at him sternly, “What has Louisa said about listening in on other people talking?” Shrugging, he answers, “Not to do it. But I did anyway.”

“Clearly,” she can’t even hide the amusement in her tone.

Wrapping her arms around him, her embrace warms him. Her hand comes up and ruffles his black hair. “Kenna didn’t mean to, but she hurt me. But not literally, Spade. My feelings are hurt.”

What do her feelings have to do with her broken heart? None of this makes any sense.

She pulls away and gives him a gentle grin, “You’ll understand a bit more when you are older, but this is an important lesson. Don’t let anyone break your heart, Spade.”

“You mean like stab it?”

She gives a chuckle, though he doesn’t know what’s funny. “Yeah, don’t let anyone stab you, whether that be with a weapon or their words.”

“But how do you heal a broken heart, if not with powers?” Hale always said that his curiosity may be the death of him one day. He doesn’t get how curiosity can be a bad thing, but he can’t help but ask anyway.

Contemplating for a brief moment, she rests her finger to her chin, just below her lips. “A lot of people deal with that in different ways. For me, it’s by moving forward one step at a time, letting myself feel my emotions but having faith that good days are ahead.”

“If it is so much work to heal a broken heart, why do they break?”

A laugh that didn’t sound funny escapes her. Like the humor and life was sucked out of it. “Oh Spade, what a good question. One I do not know the answer to. One thing I do suggest is to protect that heart of yours. Because you never know what will cause a crack. Or who.”