Two Months of Silence

Ember POV

I followed the direction of his pointing hand.

There..

a glittering fish leapt out of the stream, its scales reflecting the moonlight like scattered stars before it disappeared back into the water.

It was beautiful. Undeniably so.

And as much as I wanted to gasp, to exclaim aloud just how beautiful it was, an even stronger urge held me back, the urge to remain silent. To say nothing. To give him nothing.

So I did.

“Ember,” he called softly.

“It has been two months now since you’ve been like this…” His voice lowered, heavy with concern. “When will you come out of your cave?”...