Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared) novel Chapter 932

The roof had the gentle slope of a gable, not too steep to climb.

It was originally tiled with glazed shingles, but atop those lay a thick bed of straw.

Standing on it felt like standing on a haystack; there was no fear of slipping.

Esther quickly found a spot and perched herself at the peak of the roof.

Then, with a playful smack on the space beside her, she beckoned, "Nocturne, sit here."

The three of them sat side by side on the rooftop.

Agnes took the spot on the end.

She thought climbing roofs was a bit risky, but she didn't interfere.

Partly because she didn't want to spoil the kids' fun, and partly because Nocturne, usually so mature for his age, was doing something unexpectedly reckless.

Other parents might have scolded them, but for Agnes, it was a delightful surprise.

Esther pointed skyward and exclaimed, "Look, there's the Big Dipper!"

Agnes looked up, and indeed, the view from here was unlike any from the ground.

The sky was a tranquil canvas, with stars strewn across it like scattered silver coins, a celestial game of chess in motion.

Despite her youth, Esther knew a surprising amount about the stars.

This impressed Agnes greatly.

Esther aimed her finger at a cluster of stars and said, "Ms. Agnes, see that brightest star over there? That's called the Guardian's Eye. No matter when or where you are, the person you love most can see you through that star. I think my mom is up there, watching over me."

At the mention of the Guardian's Eye, Agnes was momentarily taken aback.

The Guardian's Eye, the guardian star—why did it feel so familiar?

Her mind drifted back to her own youth, more than a decade ago.

She was walking on the school track with Elton Taylor.