Zaldy, Athena, and little Eira had very few possessions when they arrived at Greystone. What they carried was all they owned—nothing stored anywhere else.
When the lockdown began, they were forced to trade what little they had for food and water. The last of their chickens and goats were sold, and eventually, even their wagon.
When it was gone, they continued on foot. No one would buy herbs, poultices, or trinkets anymore. Curfews were strict, and everyone was forbidden to leave their settlements.
They told little Eira they were camping—that they were on a long adventure to find a hidden place to live.
Eira didn't cry. She didn't make things difficult for her parents. She knew they had no house, no coin, and no food. For a six-year-old, she understood more than most children her age. They were poor. They were hungry.
Strangers they passed called them wanderers—nomads with nowhere to go.
