#CHAPTER 121: Common Magic

ISLA My family lived on the northernmost edge of Fresonia, in a little alpine village nestled into the side of the Dragon’s Teeth mountains. I had grown up here, in this region of rock and snow, my childhood shaped by wind just like the granite of the mountains. It was where my family still dwelled. I doubted they would ever leave. They were as much of a fixture of Stone Springs as the mountain itself. It felt odd returning to my hometown with Joseph in tow. Although the King had sent him along to aid and protect me, it still felt a bit like bringing a man home to meet my parents. I’d had the foresight to reach out in advance to let them know that I was there on official business from the crown, knowing that my mother would have fussed over Joseph otherwise. As we pulled into the driveway of my family’s thatched-roof cottage, Joseph smiled at me. “I’ve never been to Stone Springs before. It’s lovely.” I buckled my seatbelt. “Yeah, well, you say that now. Ju