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The crunch of gravel under Daniel Mercer’s polished oxfords sounded like a death knell in the oppressive quiet of the family courtyard. / Chapter 10 / 10

Chapter 10 - The HorizonI walked over to the art corner and knelt beside my son.

Leo looked up at me, his eyes bright, clear, and completely free of the dark, suffocating shadows that had haunted him for years. He smiled widely and held up his drawing.

"Look, Mom! It’s us! Flying away from the dark castle!"

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I smiled, wrapping my arms around my boy and pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head.

"That’s right, sweetie," I whispered, looking out the massive glass window toward the endless, golden horizon of the morning sun. "The dark castle is gone forever. From now on, we write our own story."

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