The Seafarer & the Keeper

After inheriting his great-uncle's post in the lighthouse on the seaside cliff of Hefsevain, Theodore Lakkos becomes the new keeper, a job that demands long hours, uninterrupted solitude, and monotonous routines. Days are silent, seldom restful; night are spent atop the tower, tending to the witchfire that guides wayward sailors ashore. But one evening, a treacherous storm bashes a small vessel upon the sands—and brings with it a single seafarer.

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Her name is Rhu Karina; that is all she remembers upon waking in this foreign land. Stranded with no memories to guide her, Karina lodges with the lonely young lighthouse keeper. From hesitant first words to small gestures of kindness, a tentative yet inevitable friendship slowly blossoms. With Theo’s help, the seafarer not only has the chance to rediscover herself and her origins, but also to begin anew in this quaint coastal village.

Eighteen months pass before Karina’s memories finally return. By then, Theo has grown accustomed to the seafarer’s presence; he starts to envision a life with her. But Karina must return home, and Theo must choose whether to follow her to lands untouched and unseen by the rest of the world or to stay where it is safe, familiar—but lonesome.

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Featured in the 2024 cozy fantasy anthology by Azala Press, Hearthside & Heartstrings, this short standalone piece is Kit's first published work.

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Access the playlist for "The Seafarer & the Keeper" here.