Page 110 of Shadow and Skulls

“I just love it here so much,” she says quietly.

“Me too. Me too.”

When she guides us down the little hill out back, I almost fall to my knees. The club members and their families are following lanterns down the hill and into the trees. My little family walks up behind us. My dad, Mom, Cole, Carson, and Grandpa. I let out a little sob when I see my dad carrying my mother’s ashes.

“We thought you might want to take one more lantern walk with her. I think it would be a special way to honor her.”

I nod, blinking back tears. “Oh, they’re all so beautiful,” I say, rushing from one lantern to the next, loving it more than the last.

My family trails behind me a few steps, unable to keep up with my excitement.

The trail ends down by the river, so I slow my steps, trying to make this moment last. “Oh, I can tell Petey made this one,” I say, admiring the glass as Charlotte runs up and tugs on my arm.

“Do you love it?” she asks.

“I do. I love them all.”

One last lantern… my eyes trail down the path sadly.

As we get close, the lantern comes into focus, and I can see its design. I stop abruptly, and Cole bumps into my backside.

“Shit, sorry, sis.” He wraps an arm around my waist to steady me.

“Oh my god.” I point down the path, turning to my mom. “Where did you find it? Was it with my mother’s things? I don’t remember seeing it.”

My mom looks at me, her brows pulled tight in confusion, and I realize it’s not the same one.

“Oh,” I say, trying not to show my disappointment that it’s not what I thought it was. “My mom and I had one just like it. We found it at the festival when I was maybe five or six years old.”

“Is that why you love stars?” my mom asks, a tear running down her cheek.

“No, but my love of stars is why it became my favorite,” I laugh lightly, watching the flicker of the little stars cut into the metal. Then, I share with them the same story I shared with Tank. The one about the man finding me in the woods, and the tale he wove about how stars came to be.

Everyone is quiet.

“I watched our new prospect make it,” Charlotte breaks the silence. “His grandma and him made one just like it.”

Did she say prospect?

“He doesn’t have it anymore because his family always left the ones they made behind. I thought that was sad, but he told me his grandma always said it was good to share your light, and that the right person would find it when they needed it most.”

I walk toward the lantern and run my finger over the sharp edge of one of the stars. Each beat of my heart is knocking so hard against my ribs that it steals my breath. A few seconds later, Tank steps out of the shadows.

“Holy shit,” I whisper, releasing all the air in my lungs. It’s him. It’s really him.

“Mouth,” my mother says quietly.

Tank grins wide. “Surprised to see me, little shadow?”

“Pet names were not approved,” my dad grumbles behind me as I run toward Tank, stumbling over branches to get to him.

When I get within arm’s reach, I jump, wrapping myself around him. “I’m so glad you’re here,” I whisper against his neck.

“Me too, baby. Me too.” He pats my back as he carries us out of the brush.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Kelsie

---