The manor was warm and bright when Kaelen stepped through the door. The smell of roasted meat and fresh bread wafted from the kitchen. Laughter echoed from the common room, where Roland, Edwin, and Lyra had gathered around the fire.
"There he is!" Edwin called out, raising a glass. "The man of the hour. Or rather, the man of every hour. All of them. Across all of time."
Kaelen laughed. "That's a lot of hours."
"Too many to count," Lyra said, smiling. "But we're glad you're here for this one."
He settled into his usual chair, the one by the window that looked out onto the garden. The warmth of the fire soaked into his bones. The warmth of the Heartstone pulsed gently in his chest. The warmth of friendship surrounded him.
