The Reed Woman (Ashfyre)
About
A short story from the upcoming Ashfyre series Book I: The Rust Crown. To wet interest, for those who may want to pick up this series when I release it. This short (27k) will be published in it’s entirety.
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In the quiet, waterlogged edges of the Mire, Binja Hest lives a simple life cutting reeds, hauling them north, and minding her own business. She has buried enough people to know better than to get involved in anything that smells like trouble.
Trouble finds her anyway. When a dying man ends up hidden in her wagon, soldiers, killers, and questions begin to follow. What should have been a simple road north becomes something else entirely, a journey of harsh words, stubborn choices, and the kind of grief that never quite leaves.
The Reed Woman is a grounded, character-driven tale about smuggling, curmudgeons, and the quiet, unexpected ways people find connection in the middle of loss.