Did Your Parents Never Tell

“What’s going on?” Minka asked.

Srina was poking at the wood carvings in the corner, toys Dakshana’s father had made for her.

Dakshana lifted her chin defiantly, hands curled into fists. The shamans had come in the door - which meant she could go out the door.

Srina realized what was going on too late, when Dakshana’s parents were already drowning in rune-fire. She clung to Minka and wept, and Dakshana wondered, cruelly, that she still had tears to cry after all her weeping.

“Dakshana, what –” Minka began.

Dakshana said, “Did your parents never tell you how my parents died?”