Page 76 of Dig Your Grave

We ended up standing at the campus quad, near the statue of Edenvane’s founder.Morning sunlight drenched the manicured grass.Students bustled, a normal day—if not for the tension in the air, the swirl of rumors about impending trials and boards of inquiry.

Kate jogged over, phone in hand.“You guys back?”she asked, breathless.“I tried calling, but signals are iffy.”

I nodded, hugging her.“We got your text.Retrieved our stuff.”

She grinned.“My phone’s exploding with interview requests.Toccara’s story is headline news.The board might rename the library after her if you can believe it.”Her smile faltered, tears shining.“At least her memory won’t be buried.”

Anubis murmured, “She deserved better.But this is a start.”

Kate wiped her eyes, then brightened.“Speaking of starts, the Howler wants you both to give a statement.Or an op-ed, maybe, about your experiences.And the cops might want more details for their official records.”

I exchanged a glance with Anubis.We’d never wanted the spotlight, but maybe it was time.We could cement the changes, keep the Skulls from ever rising again.“We’ll talk about it,” I said quietly.

“Cool,” Kate replied, patting my arm.“I’ll let you breathe first.Just know you have a platform if you need it.Also, the Undercurrent is meeting tonight to celebrate.You’re welcome to join.”

We thanked her, promising to consider.She hurried off, her phone buzzing again.I watched her go, a flood of gratitude filling me.She’d risked so much to help us.Toccara’s spirit lives on in these brave souls who refused to be silent.

Anubis hefted the duffel bag, eyebrows rising.“There’s a weird sense of normalcy, isn’t there?”

I nodded, scanning the busy quad.“It’s like the campus is the same on the surface, but everything underneath changed.”

He squeezed my hand.“Come on, let’s find somewhere quiet.We can talk about the future.”

We drifted to a secluded garden behind the language arts building.A fountain trickled, roses bloomed in neat rows.The crisp midday sun warmed the stone bench where we sat.Birdsong replaced the hush of secrets that once hounded us.

We placed the duffel on the ground, content to just be for a moment.Anubis draped an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned my head against him, eyes fluttering shut.

“Feels almost normal,” I murmured, voice soft.“No watchers lurking behind every bush.”

He nodded, pressing a kiss to my hair.“No crypt ceremonies, no brandings, no forced tasks.We can breathe.”

My fingertips grazed the brand hidden beneath my shirt.“I still have this scar, though.”

He gently guided my hand away, lacing our fingers.“Scars tell our stories.This one says we chose each other over fear.”

Emotion welled up.I turned, meeting his gaze.“I love you, Anubis.Not just because you saved me.Because you see me, every side of me, broken or brave, and you never turn away.”

His eyes shone.“I love you too, Suede Sara Divore.More than anything.Even if the world tries to bury us again, I’m by your side.”

I leaned in, lips brushing his.The kiss was slow, unhurried, a quiet culmination of all our shared suffering and hope.My heart pounded, not from terror this time, but from the raw intensity of love.

In that sunlit garden, we let the fear slip away, focusing on the warmth of each other’s mouths and the press of our hands.Every breath felt like a promise that we had found something worth living for, worth fighting to protect.The brand’s ache dulled into background noise as the new closeness replaced it with a surge of belonging.

When we finally pulled apart, the garden seemed brighter.My cheeks glowed, a sweet ache in my chest.“So, what next?”

He exhaled, smiling softly.“Finish the semester.Help rebuild Edenvane without the Skulls’ shadow.Maybe I’ll keep rowing, if the team even survives the Dean’s downfall.”A half-laugh.“And you?”

I pursed my lips in a thoughtful grin.“I still want to be a journalist, or some kind of truth-teller.Toccara’s story showed me how powerful that can be.Maybe I’ll do an investigative piece on campus corruption for the Howler or a bigger outlet.”

He brushed a strand of hair from my face.“You’ll be brilliant.”

My heart soared at his unwavering faith in me.For the first time in forever, I felt like the future was ours to shape.No watchers, no rigged scholarship, no forced compliance.Just two people forging our own path.

Chapter 29

Over the next week, Edenvane’s campus roiled with official announcements.The Board of Trustees removed the Dean from all duties, forming a caretaker administration.Sophie remained away, rumored to be cooperating in exchange for leniency.Most watchers who weren’t arrested vanished.Dr.Lansing, under heavy guard, provided critical intel that severed the Skulls’ finances.The gene therapy labs were shuttered, their funding pulled.Investigators combed through the crypt, the caretaker’s cottage, the Boathouse for hidden caches.Students whispered that the entire “cult” was done.

Anubis’ father was still missing.

---