She wasn't alone in the room. A woman and a baby sat on the floor several paces away.
Circe's attention fixed on them instantly.
The child's laughter filled the room, the kind that was loud and infectious. He sat on the floor, his small hands pressing against the ground as he leaned forward, drawn toward the woman before him.
The woman sat just out of his reach, her hands outstretched towards him.
Circe tried to see her face. She narrowed her eyes, focusing, willing the details to become clearer but nothing changed. She could not make out a single feature on the woman's face. It was as though her face had been erased, leaving only fragments behind.
She could only see the woman's brown dress, her black hair and when the woman lifted her hand slightly, Circe caught sight of the scar lining the inside of her wrist.
The woman made a soft coaxing sound, her voice gentle as she beckoned the child closer.
"Come here, my little ember." she murmured.
