Kore is a small moon in the outer reaches of the galaxy, bristling with odd little flowers that resist the attempts of hapless strangers to encourage them to grow under a roof. It was just the right place for me to be, on the occasion a trader swung by.

The three of them sat together outside the library in that little dark crevice of the universe, watching the lights in the sky, whilst a song about home wafted in the air. Tallis glanced over their shoulder for a moment at the building behind. Eleison’s library was still nowhere near as grand as a good chunk of those Tallis had seen. But it didn’t need to be. It had books.

People had pretty soon decided that there wasn’t much else worth exploring in the vast empty stretch of space beyond, which people called the Night, and attention had moved elsewhere. Not for the first time, Tallis groaned inwardly and forced themself to remember that they were lucky to still be employed by the Librarians’ Guild at all after the unfortunate Charlotte Brontë incident. This posting was just something they were going to have to endure for a while.

Start with heat, the sensation of warmth between your palms. Move slowly onto light, and colour. Picture the flickering flames between your hands. Will them to be.

I’m sure that once, not so long ago, this green grow-pot was the perfect size and shape and fit for those poor roots. It’s nobody’s fault – plants grow. This one was just long overdue.

For four years, the curse had endured and none knew where it had begun. Carolina swung her eyes back towards the town streets; very few people were outdoors and the dust swirled in low curls over the cobbles. Torches and lamps were snubbed out - the town had kept to a schedule of time, which included when to sleep, if only to maintain a routine.

Our breaths seemed to sync, the waves on the sea were calm. As the world was bathed in orange light, I could feel the knot in my throat.