"Grand ma, Grand pa Holland passed the exams," Jamie said as we walked into his house.
His voice filled the space immediately, bright and loud. The door closed behind us, shutting out the cold from outside, but my body still felt stiff, my shoulders tight from the weight of the day. Passing the exam still felt unreal. I couldn't believe I passed it.
Jamie lived with his grandparents. He had a lot of freedom because they were not always at home. The house was big, warm, and always smelled faintly of baked goods or expensive tea. When I first started coming over, I noticed how quiet it could be despite how lively Jamie was. At first, I wondered where his parents were, but I couldn't bring myself to ask.
Then one day he told me.
His parents were dead.
They had died in a plane crash.
The same one that had killed Kasteil's parents.
