We reach the cliff of the mountain, facing the sky or pink and blue. Kasadi pulls the reigns of her horse, causing it to kick up a cloud of dust towards me. “This is the right place” she mumbled, mounting off her horse. I do the same, following closely behind her as we look for the marker we left when we were fifteen.

“Over there” I point when I see a stack of three slick black stones. It’s been five years since we last came, yet it all looks the same. Beautiful and empty.

I know Kasadi is more sensitive when it comes to this. Her and Ave were sisters by blood. As much as I love them both, she lost the one she vowed to protect. But for me, sometimes if feels like I lost both of them.

When we reach Ave’s resting place, we both get on our knees and place a hand to the stones.

Kasadi, Ave, and Tella, bringers of peace. We had Uncle Swain engrave that into our wooden swords when we were ten, and now it’s engraved as Ave’s final words. How very wrong we were.

Your suppose to feel a connection to the spirit you pray to. But as I close my eyes and whisper her name I feel nothing.

Maybe because to speak to the dead one has to be pure of heart, and my purity lies in the dirt with her.

I’m guessing Kasadi doesn’t feel anything either as she bend forward and collapses onto the grass, heaving her weight with her elbows. Silent sobs echo through her body, and she clutches the grass so tightly it rips out.

I don’t say anything, except lay with her in the grass as she lets her pent up sorrow out. The sky is Ave’s favorite shade of pink, and I let out a single tear, watching it seep into the grounds we may never see again.

Today we cry. Tomorrow we fight.