The red flame of the bonfire flared up within the ring of stones around it. As it gnawed the piling dried wood and branches, it made a crackling sound and burst the heat into the surroundings. The sparks of the ember flew into the air.
The end-summer wind slapped her face with its chill. Luckily, the warmth from the blazing fire defeated it.
Crouching alone before the bonfire, her drooping shoulders shook, and a brittle sobbing escaped her mouth. She could not count how many times she had shed her tears, enduring the ordeal of her altercation with him.
In just a day, Kyren had successfully tormented her heart deeply. His fierce face and loud shouts were still reflected in her eyes and rang in her ears.
The commander had turned out to be someone she did not know. It was as if he was neither the gentle husband who embraced her in his sleep nor the one who took her hand to the marigold field and kissed her passionately under the Elm tree.
