Wren's throat tightened.Her farm was directly in that path.
"Come on," Mei-Lin said gently."Mother's making breakfast.And Father wants to discuss some business with you, something about distribution schedules for after the migration."
After the migration.When everything might be destroyed.
But she followed Mei-Lin downstairs, trying not to think about it.
***
THE MIGRATION CONTINUEDrelentlessly.
The sound was constant, with rumbling, roaring and the thunder of countless feet.The town stayed shuttered during the day, only opening for essential business.Most people remained in their homes or gathered in community spaces, waiting it out.
Wren settled into a strange routine at the Zhao house.
Mornings: Breakfast with the family, then business discussions with Zhao Wei.He was already planning her first expanded shipment, mapping routes, discussing pricing for different cities.It helped to focus on the future.
Afternoons: Helping Mei-Lin with various projects.Baking experiments (her lucky sense told her which recipes would work).Inventory management for the family business.Long conversations about everything and nothing.
Evenings: Family dinners, card games, reading by the fire.
And throughout it all, Jin's presence.Polite, careful, but always there.
He'd walk past while she was working with his father, and their eyes would meet for just a second too long.
He'd sit across from her at dinner, and she'd catch him watching when he thought she wasn't looking.
He'd check on the dandelions in the back garden, and she'd find excuses to check at the same time.
Zhao Lin noticed.Wren could tell from the way Jin's mother watched them with increasing scrutiny.But she said nothing.
On day four, Kenji cornered Wren in the hallway.
"You know he's completely gone for you, right?"
Wren blinked."What?"
"Jin.My best friend.The man who's been acting like a lovesick fool for weeks."Kenji grinned."He's trying to be honorable and patient and all that noble nonsense.But he's miserable."
"He said we'd talk after the migration."
"Good.Because watching him pine is painful."Kenji's expression turned more serious."He's a good man, Wren.Best I know.And he doesn't give his heart easily.But when he does..."He shrugged."He's all in.Just thought you should know."
He walked away, leaving Wren standing in the hallway with her thoughts spinning.
***
THE WEATHER TURNEDon day five.
Wren woke to the sound of rain hammering the roof.Not normal rain, but violent, aggressive, unnatural.She ran to the window.
The migration was chaos below.Monsters panicking, running in confused patterns.Lightning cracked across the sky in jagged, wrong angles.
Magic.This was magic.
"Lyra," she breathed.But why?Just for the fun of it?
Jin appeared in her doorway, already dressed."Stay inside.Don't go near the windows."
