Chương 155: Chapter 153 – Life Lines

As the cargo barge made its way down the river, Ray stood by the railing, captivated by the raw beauty of the dwarven realm. The natives of this land might have been small in stature, but they were immense in ingenuity and creativity. They had managed to tame the harsh, arid landscape and bend it to their needs. Their mastery of water collection had not only allowed them to survive, but to thrive.

With little to no forest, they had learned to utilize their most abundant natural resource, rock, shaping it into some of the most beautiful homes Ray had ever seen. Their water diversion systems allowed the dwarves to create lush gardens full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and aromatic herbs. He watched a group of dwarves on the riverbank harvesting papyrus and hemp, which Grim had explained were used for everything from paper to textiles. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Sheera sitting on top of a crate.

Her gaze was fixed, but she was not truly seeing the landscape before her. She looked fragile, worry for her daughter carving new lines into her face. His heart ached for her. Having no children of his own, he could only imagine the depth of suffering she was experiencing. She sat staring out at a completely alien world, one that bore no resemblance to her own lush green homeland. Her husband and child were not here to share in the wonders of discovery. She had no way of knowing how her daughter fared.

Would she survive? Had she gotten worse? Was she calling out for her? If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it. Ray watched silently as Sheera wiped away quiet tears. He wanted to go to her, but what could he possibly say? There was nothing he could offer that would ease her pain. But he could sit with her. He could take her hand. She needed to know she was not alone.

He knew what it was like to feel alone, to feel that no one cared whether you lived or died. He knew the pain of isolation, the desperation that took hold when a heart craved connection. He knew how it felt to have no tether to the world, to feel as if you might simply blow away in the winds of change, never to be seen again. He walked slowly to where Sheera sat and awkwardly settled beside her. He barely knew her, yet the connection between them in that moment was unmistakable.

He laid his hand gently over hers and gave it a soft squeeze. To his surprise, she squeezed back and rested her weary head on his broad shoulder. He watched the scenery drift by as the barge continued down the swift current. The silence between them spoke louder than any words could. Sheera wiped her eyes with her free hand before closing them, knowing in her heart that as long as her hand stayed in his, she would not be swept away in the flood of emotion.