Lachlan's long, slender fingers suddenly tightened, the sharp edges of the box digging deep into his palm.
His jaw tightened into a sharp line, so taut that the pale blue veins on the side of his neck were clearly visible.
The only sound seemed to be the wind, which whistled into his ears with a slight chill.
After standing silently in place for a long time, Lachlan slowly opened the box.
The moment his fingertips touched what was inside, his body froze. His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and the words that escaped his thin lips were so quiet they nearly scattered in the wind.
"Who in the world... are you?"
The Bone Ornament in the box rolled around with his movement, clattering with an ethereal, crisp sound.
Beneath the Bone Ornament lay a lock of flaxen hair, its ends unevenly cut. It shimmered under the clear, cold moonlight.
