I dropped to my knees beside my uncle. “We did it,” I said, lowering my head and resting my forehead against his chest. “I’m going to miss you bad. You’ve been the best uncle a girl could ask for. Say hello to my mom for me when you get to wherever you’re going. She’d be proud of you for taking such good care of me. I couldn’t have survived this without you.” I lifted my head and kissed his cold cheek, tears dropping from my eyes and falling on his skin. “I love you and will carry you with me for the rest of my life.”
My legs shook as I stood. Two men waited with a makeshift stretcher to take Uncle Philip’s body. A cry tore from my mouth, and I covered my face with my hands. Bastien’s arms went around me, and I bawled against his chest. I couldn’t hold myself up anymore, so he held me instead.
“I’m here,” he said.
We had lost so much, but gained even more. There had been so much pain, so much suffering, but the sun was coming up, and a new Mystik world was dawning.
Chapter Thirty
Normal life. I wasn’t sure I knew what that was anymore. The mirror was not my friend. It distorted my reflection, making me look a little askew. I frowned and straightened my black cocktail dress.
The pendant with Pip’s feather inside hung from the corner of the frame. I touched it, thinking about Uncle Philip. It had been a month since his funeral in Asile. Thousands of Mystiks had been in attendance.
There were so many funerals we attended in the week following the battle. Buach’s in Tearmann. Edgar’s in Asile. And Pia’s in Santara. I wondered if the hole in my chest from all our losses would ever heal.
But none of the funerals compared to Sinead’s ceremony in the Fey nation. Sinead was draped in a shimmery white dress and glitter dusted her skin. It was private and in the most beautiful garden. Carrig was proud that day. Having known her love would carry him to the end of his days.
He and Deidre had moved into a house down the street from us in Branford. Carrig was now the guardian of Peyton, Dag, and Knox. He’d train and raise them in the human world. No one knew there were three from the eight-year-old Sentinels who had survived the disease, and Carrig was determined to keep it that way.
In the last few weeks, Deidre and I spent many hours together playing basketball at the park or watching comedies late at night. I’d abandoned my love for horror movies. I’d seen enough of them in my nightmares lately.
Lei, Arik, and Demos had returned to Asile to help get things in order.
And Jaran? Well, he moved in with Pop, Nana, and me. Pop and Carrig had finally finished renovating that extra bedroom in our Victorian home, which sat at the end of a quiet road with a crooked street sign.
When Pop had asked where we wanted to move, we all voted for Branford, Connecticut. It surprised me, too. I never believed I wouldn’t return to Boston. But I was ready for a quieter life with less traffic until I went to college, which could be a year from now, since I’d missed sending in my applications. And Jaran was ready to get to know a certain student body president better.
“Are you going to stare at yourself all night?” Deidre sighed from her old bed.
Emily shifted on my bed to give her a stern look. “We’re not rushing her tonight. Take your time, Gia.”
Deidre groaned. “By all means. Take forever.”
Nana’s familiar, Baron, and my cat, Cleo, lay at Deidre’s feet bathing each other with their tongues. Momo climbed up on the bed and sniffed them. Carrig had brought Momo back from Asile for me. Momo was living the good life since leaving the Somnium. It was the least I could do for the ferret for alerting me when danger was around while in the Somnium. Pop spoiled her with sips of the last bit of his creamy coffee in the morning and dry cereal when I wasn’t looking.
Momo burrowed under Deidre’s leg. “Hey, girl.” She picked Momo up and ran a finger over her fur.
“I don’t get why we have to do something so fancy,” I said. “Can’t we order pizza delivery instead? It’s just a girls’ night. We could rent movies.”
“We have to go out,” Emily said and crossed the area carpet to me. “Remember your therapist said getting out was a good thing. And it’s November first.”
My therapist was an eccentric woman from Asile—because there was no way I could see a human one, not with my stories. She’d jump to the Branford library for our sessions, since I needed time away from the Mystik world.
I picked up my root beer flavored Lip Smacker and slathered my lips with it. Yes, I had reverted back to balm over lipstick.
“What’s so special about November first?” I asked.
Emily gave me a shocked expression. “It’s All Saint’s Day.”
I pushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Then shouldn’t we go to church instead of dinner?”
“Your neck looks so long with your hair pulled up,” Emily said, glancing over my shoulder and smiling through the mirror at me. “You’re beautiful.”
My cheeks warmed, and I lowered my eyes. “Thanks. You look amazing, too. I love that dress on you.”
She ran her hands down her blue dress, which matched her eyes perfectly. “Now I’m blushing.”
“You guys going to kiss now or what?” Deidre stood. “We have reservations. How about we not be late for them.”
“Reservations? You guys really went all out for tonight.”
“Yeah, we thought it would be nice.” Emily grabbed her jacket from the bedpost. “Let’s go.”
Emily drove five miles per hour under the speed limit for me. She parked in front of the D’Marco’s restaurant, and I raised an eyebrow at her.
“We never have to make reservations here,” I said, getting out of the car and following them to the host stand.
Deidre walked by it and headed for the banquet room.
I caught Emily’s arm. “What’s going on?”
She grasped my hand and pulled me along with her. “Stop being so suspicious and just go with it,” she said.
We walked into the banquet room.
“Surprise!” everyone yelled.
I stumbled back, my heart leaping into my throat. “Oh my gosh. What’s going on?”
“It’s a party for you,” Emily said.
The room was decorated with purple and green balloons floating on strings tied to the back of chairs, and matching flower arrangements added color to the white tablecloths.
Nick strolled over with a smile plastered on his face. “Surprise,” he droned. “They shouted at me when I walked in, too.”
“What’s this for?”
“Happy birthday,” he said, waving understated jazz hands. “Yay.”
“My birthday was a few months ago,” I said.
“Yeah, I heard something about you being in hiding. Me being tortured. Us not getting to celebrate them. Blah. Blah. Blah.”
I chuckled. “Your mom?”
“No. Afton.”
“Afton’s here?”
“You called?” She slipped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder.
“You’re here,” I said and gave her tight hug, my smile as bright as hers. “This is great. Really. Thank you for putting this together.”
“You’re welcome,” she said. “Mrs. D’Marco helped me. I arrived from Boston last night, and it took all my willpower not to go over and see you.”
“It’s a great surprise,” I said.
Afton glanced up at Nick. “Your mom wants to take a family pic.” She smiled at me and said, “Come over when you’re done being a wallflower.”