Ashlynn didn't have a younger brother, so she had no idea what it was like to grow up with one. But Ollie was close enough to her, both in age and in relationship, that she treated him the way she imagined a big sister should. Right now, after listening to him describe his carriage ride with Liam, Eira, and Morwen, she felt like he was in desperate need of a big sister's advice.
Slowly, she let go of the last of the power she'd been holding, allowing the shadows that cloaked the Broken Blade Tavern to melt into simple, ordinary darkness now that the risk of the Church noticing them had passed. Instantly, the room felt a little bit warmer, and the light from the candles seemed a little bit brighter, even though they'd burned down nearly half their lengths.
