Chapter 2
Welcome to Hearthglen
The walk into town was shorter than I expected. That was probably the first thing I noticed about Hearthglen. Everything was close. Back home, going anywhere meant planning. Driving. Traffic. Fighting through crowds of Berries who were always in a hurry to get somewhere else.
Here? The path from my cottage to town was a quiet dirt road lined with trees and grassy fields, mostly farmland dotted with some cows. The kind of road that made you want to slow down just to look around. I could hear birds singing somewhere above me, the rustling of leaves in the breeze, and the occasional distant sound of farm animals.
When I reached the center of town, I stopped. Stared. Okay, maybe I had been expecting too much. The “town center” was not exactly what I would call a town center. It was a clearing surrounded by a handful of small buildings. A few wooden stalls sat scattered around the area, displaying fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and other local handmade products. A few people wandered around, chatting casually with one another.
No crowds. No traffic. No noise. Just… Quiet. I couldn’t help the small grimace that crossed my face. This was town? Really?
“Pearl!” I turned toward the familiar voice. “Pearl! Pearl!” An orange Shade was waving both arms dramatically near one of the benches, like I might somehow miss her in the emptiness of the clearing. I laughed immediately. Of course. Mai.
I made my way over, and before I could even say hello, she grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug. “Oh my gosh, you’re actually here!” She squeezed tighter. “We’re gonna have so. Much. Fun!”
I smiled, trying to breathe without ending up with a mouthful of her long orange hair. “I missed you too, Mai.”
She finally released me, though she still held onto my arm, shaking it up and down with her bouncing. “You have no idea how excited I am!”
A dark blue Shade standing beside her chuckled. “Careful, Mai. Don’t pull her arm off.” He gently touched her arm. “I think she’d be pretty upset if she had to learn how to paint with her left hand.” His eyes were alight with subtle mischief.
Mai immediately let go, looking sheepish. “Sorry.”
I laughed. “It’s okay.”
“This is my boyfriend, Cobalt.” Mai said, gesturing toward him proudly. I knew of Cobalt, but had never met him in person before now.
He gave me a friendly smile. “Cobalt Ocean. Nice to finally meet you.”
Cobalt was handsome, in a soft way. He had dark blue skin with a barely noticeable dusting of freckles across his nose. Cheekbones for days. His dark blue hair was tousled carelessly, with enough volume to make any girl jealous. But his eyes stood out most—significantly lighter than the rest of his features, almost icy blue. An orange stud pierced his right ear, most likely for Mai.
He and Mai went well together. She was the same complementary shade of orange for his blue all over. A pumpkin orange, with more noticeable freckles across her rounded nose and cheeks. She had pointed ears that stuck out of her hair, styled with her bangs pinned back today. It made it look almost like a halo on her head. She also wore something of Cobalt’s color, a small round necklace with an image of a blue daisy on it.
They looked perfect together.
“You too.”
Seeing Mai here felt odd. Not because she didn’t belong. She looked like she fit in here better than anywhere else. But because it felt like yesterday when we first met at college, and somehow she had already built an entire life somewhere else.
She had moved here three years ago, only a year after we met, after dropping out of college and moving in with Cobalt. Honestly, it was a miracle we stayed close. I wasn’t always the best at keeping in touch. But Mai had always been the kind of person who refused to let friendships disappear.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” she said again.
“I can’t believe I’m really here either.” I looked around. “I just didn’t expect it to be so…” I waved my hand vaguely, searching for the right word. I didn’t want to insult her home.
“Small?” She grinned.
“Underwhelming?”
She gasped dramatically. “Pearl!”
I snickered. “I’m sorry! I’m just saying, I’m used to a bigger town.”
“Exactly,” she said, pointing at me. “That’s the problem. You’re comparing this place to Frost Haven.” She placed her hands on her hips. “This place may not have giant buildings or fancy restaurants, but it has way more charm.” She nudged my shoulder. “And wait until you see the Briarwood. It’s gorgeous.”
I perked up at that. “Really?”
“Really. Great painting inspo.”
That got me. “Okay, now I’m interested.”
She smiled triumphantly. “I knew you would be.” There was a slight lull, and then Mai turned dramatically toward the clearing. “Welcome to Hearthglen!” She stretched her arms out. “This is town center.”
It still wasn’t exactly impressive. But seeing Mai’s excitement made it harder to judge the small town.
She dragged me toward the first stall. “This is where you can get basically everything you need.”
The green Shade behind the stall smiled warmly.
“Kiwi’s the best for groceries,” Mai explained. “She sells local produce, fruits, vegetables, and basically any other staples.”
“Hi,” I greeted her with a small wave. I wasn’t exactly a social person. Never had been. Berries like Mai could walk into a room and instantly make friends. Me? I usually needed a little more time.
The woman had bright green skin, short curly emerald hair, and soft pastel green eyes. A few laugh lines framed her face, and black freckles dotted her nose. “You must be Pearl.”
I blinked. “Uh… yes?”
“Mai has been talking about you for months.”
Mai shrugged innocently. “You were coming eventually. I had to talk you up.”
“You’re just as pretty as she said.”
My face warmed. I wasn’t sure what Mai had told her about me, but apparently she’d left out the part where I looked like I’d been assembled entirely from snow. “Thank you, ma’am.” Coming from anyone else, that statement might have been seen as flirting, but Kiwi seemed maternal. Like a mother or an aunt complimenting someone.
“Welcome to Hearthglen.”
“Thank you.”
Mai grabbed my arm again. “Come on!” I barely had time to say goodbye before she pulled me toward the next stall.
“This is Sage.”
The older Shade behind the counter looked up.
She had dusty sage-green skin, faded green hair threaded with silver, and sharp gray-green eyes. “Mai.” Her voice was gravely with age. “How many times have I told you? If you’re not buying anything, don’t bother me.” If Kiwi seemed like the older motherly type, Sage was the definition of the grumpy old grandma type.
Mai rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. I’m giving Pearl the tour. Sage sells knitted and cross-stitched stuff, mostly.”
“Tour?” Sage barked out a laugh, before coughing roughly. She gestured toward the town. “This is it. What ya see is what ya get, kid.”
Mai snickered, beginning to steer me away from Sage’s stall. “Don’t listen to her. She’s just grumpy.”
“I heard that!”
I tried not to laugh. There was something oddly comforting about how everyone seemed to know each other here. Even the arguments felt familiar. Like family.
Mai pulled me a little farther through the clearing. “And this is where they hold festivals!” The open grassy area beside the shops was large enough for gatherings, with plenty of room for booths, contests, and events. “They do seasonal festivals,” Mai explained. “There are contests, music, games, food, all kinds of stuff.”
Cobalt added on, “They have things like the biggest vegetable, prettiest chicken, best pie, stuff like that.”
“That actually does sound kind of fun.”
Mai leaned closer. “The judges are totally biased.”
“What?”
She lowered her voice dramatically. “And bribable.”
I blinked. “Really?”
She shrugged.
“Money talks everywhere, even here.” Cobalt said.
I looked around the quiet little town. “Huh.”
Mai clapped her hands. “Anyway! One more stop.” She pointed across the road. The building she was walking toward was easily the largest structure in town.
It was old red brick, faded in places, with cracks showing through the walls. It looked like it had been there forever. “This,” she said proudly, stopping in front of the building, “is our one and only local bar. Hair of the Dog.”
“And?” Mai knew I wasn’t much on alcohol.
“And,” she continued, “it also happens to have an art gallery upstairs.”
My eyes widened. “An art gallery?” Immediately, I was more interested.
Mai smiled impishly. “I knew that would get your attention.”
A tiny town with an art gallery. Hearthglen had more surprises than I first thought.
“Come on,” Mai said, pulling me toward the door. “Let me introduce you to the bartender. She’s awesome!”
I followed her inside, curiosity finally replacing my uncertainty. Maybe this place wasn’t so bad after all.