Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go back to the place that crushed all your dreams, physically shattered you, and betrayed the covenant you made for their lasting survival? Wonder no more! PodCastle has published “Emshalur’s Hand Stays” with a very fine reading by Cian Mac Mahon.
It begins like so:
I returned to Irishem with three sources of power: a letter from Kelian, a clear memory of why I left, and the space between my hands. The letter proved my right to enter as a citizen at the outer gate. It also got me past the boy keeping Kelian’s door when I arrived, though the house was closed for the evening. “Sealed save for family and Emshalur,” go the ritual words of denial.
If audio isn’t your preferred consumption format, they also have the full text of the story up.
Arguably, it has a happy ending.
Anaea Lay 