Children with Stars in their Veins (Chapter 37.1)

Hey

She’d let him stew for the afternoon and prod him tonight.

So far, they’d done nothing to help the expedition, they had learned nothing. they had been attacked, lost many of their supplies, had to leave Partridge behind due to her injuries, and lost friends.

every night when she didn’t think she had more tears to cry, she discovered she did.

When you hear the bells, you’ll know it’s time to go home.

There were be so much for Cassius to do and get into, and Rowan…

“But they’ll be okay with meet with us?” she asked.

It was charming, with all cushioned and plush-looking furniture. Lining the walls on either side of the doorway that led to the front hall where bookshelves. Built into the walls themselves, with dozens upon dozens of books. It smelled of parchment and cured leather. She inhaled deeply with a smile.

Across the room, bound in a wheeled chair with a blanket draped over them, sat Averi.

Okay so BASICALLY I love this idea of Isadora hanging out with Margaretta alone. We haven't seen this happen since the beginning of the novel when she was with her parents as they originally addressed this trip in the first place. So I really feel like we're going to find out some interesting information here and I'm Super Stoked for the next section.

Averi seems like a really neat character so far, though we're only just getting to know her. I'm guessing she's blind or at least have challenged sight, so hopefully I gathered that correctly from your description. It's also a fun little twist that the person Jax was referring them to is someone like Averi. I wonder what she has in store for them or how she'll be helpful to them. I'm guessing she has some good insight on the ruins or history or have some knowledge base that Margaretta would want to dig into. (I also don't really remember why Jax sent them to her, so that's just on me playing catch-up.)

I am so fascinated by the color of this house btw. Like... a bright aquamarine door and a noticeable flowerbox -- I mean, I LOVE this woman's style. XD I got so excited when I read the aquamarine door. I know right away this woman was going to be eccentric to a point at least and I love it.

I honestly feel like this city is just filled with so many interesting characters, and I say that after only meeting three of them LOL. but it's so wonderful! There's clearly such an open community here where people of varying backgrounds or beliefs are able to thrive and survive. I legit want to hang around here longer hahahaha.

I was a bit disjointed by how we never addressed the cartographer's house or whatever that they were meeting up at. Last we checked in with Isadora, they were heading to that home Gracia had mentioned, but here we skipped over all that and straight to Averi's place. That leaves me to wonder where Mishal is or how he's doing and also curious about the place he's staying in, like is it safe or is he alone, etc. Regardless, I reiterate what I said before: I'm SUPER excited about the idea of putting Isadora and Margaretta on a mission together. It just feels like a great way to revisit the starting chapter and compare their relationship between then and now.

I wish I had more to comment on, but I very much need to read the next segment first so I know what the outcome of this visit will be! Until next time, my friend!!

Hi again mel! I am determined to make a dent in the Green Room this Review Day, so I am apparently going to be reviewing random parts of your novel in an effort to push some chapters out of the GR. Hopefully I can still be helpful!

When Margaretta had asked her and Mishal if they wanted to accompany her to the person Jax had sent the after, who had come back from the Sundown Ruins, she finally felt useful. So far, they’d done nothing to help the expedition, they had learned nothing. they had been attacked, lost many of their supplies, had to leave Partridge behind due to her injuries, and lost friends.

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening/Night(whichever one it is in your part of the world),

Aaand I am back for this story. Sorry it took me a few hours because it was like midnight for me when you uploaded it and I didn't want to leave a review influenced by being awake that late.

First Impression: Well...looks like we are definitely approaching the end of arc one if the ruins are close by. When they actually get to the ruins things are going to get really interesting. As it is this one was pretty curious too especially Isadora trying to tie in that fortune teller earlier and that cryptic statement towards the end.

Anyway let's get to it,

Isadora wasn’t certain that Mishal was being honest when he deigned to stay back at the manor house and said he was fine, but pressing wasn’t going to get another answer. She’d let him stew for the afternoon and prod him tonight.

So, having a day to stretch her legs and feel like she could actually learn something made Isadora feel lighter. Margaretta did not seem particularly affected, by even if she was glaring and speaking in the cool monotone that betrayed her anger, Isadora wasn’t going to let that bring her down.

It was… She sucked in a breath. One high steeple, rising up from an already impressive building that stood proudly above the rest of the city. The shingles were lined with something that made them gleam like diamonds, and the top rose up in a brilliant silver that arrayed itself with colour as the sun hit it. Inside hung a huge bell.

When you hear the bells, you’ll know it’s time to go home.

Her heart clenched. She wanted to bring the others here. She had not doubt Alanna would fall in love with the city, as she had already. Ember would be fascinated by the technology—She had seen many forms of travel, of carriages and of carts, and of kite-like things that danced in the air. She had even spied one of the airships from Heaven’s Keep, way off in the distance, on a clear day void of clouds. There were be so much for Cassius to do and get into, and Rowan…

They were approaching a more unkempt building, with paint falling off the wood in chips but a lovely flowerbox out front, when Margaretta finally turned to her. “Their name is Averi, and they live with a young healer named Lidia. Averi has had some health troubles, which Lidia helps them with.”

Margaretta shook her hand. “I am.” When her hand was free, she gestured back. “And this is one of my associates, Isadora.”

Sunlight streamed in through the windows, only veiled by thin white curtains that did little to disrupt the warm glow. It was charming, with all cushioned and plush-looking furniture. Lining the walls on either side of the doorway that led to the front hall where bookshelves. Built into the walls themselves, with dozens upon dozens of books. It smelled of parchment and cured leather. She inhaled deeply with a smile.

Averi waved as they were wheeled over, but they were looking towards the middle of the left bookshelf when they did. Their grey hair, flecked with white, hung loose at their shoulders. And as they were pushed closer, Isadora realised their eyes were a cosmic blue—near solidly coloured, with flecks of murky white swirling through them. They were unfocused, flickering around the room, as if unsure where to land.

“They’re from the Chronicler’s Guild. They came to ask about the Sundown Ruins,” Lidia told them kindly. Then, glancing up at Isadora, she spoke in a much quieter voice, “They have a lot of trouble remembering things.”