Chapter 42: Warmth and Shadows
Sophia's lips curled into a smile as the warm, tired voice called, "Come in," a familiar comfort cutting through the chill of the morning.
She pushed open the door to Brynhild and Lysander's home, the hinges groaning softly, and stepped inside. The exterior, a modest stone structure weathered by the northern gales, belied the vastness within.
The house was a deceptive shell hiding a spacious haven. From the outside, it looked small and cozy but the inside was anything but small.
The air in the room enveloped her in a cozy warmth, rich with the scent of burning wood, dried herbs, and a faint hint of spiced tea.
The interior stretched unexpectedly wide, the high ceiling supported by thick beams carved with protective runes that pulsed faintly in the firelight. A large hearth dominated the far wall, its crackling flames casting a golden glow across the room, the stone mantel etched with swirling patterns to ward off the cold.
