Page 117 of Land of Shadow

“You’ll figure it out. You and Wyatt and Gretchen.” I wipe her tears away. “This whole time I thought I was the one who was going to make the big discovery.” I roll my eyes at myself. “But it’s all of you. It’s our team. Part of me. Part of Aang. You. Gretchen. Wyatt.”

“Why won’t you come?” Tears spill down her cheeks. “Please come with us.”

“My sister is here.” I close my eyes tightly and fight away the nausea that rises in my throat as I remember her, sitting in that chair, rotting while alive. “I can’t leave her.”

“I’m your sister now, too.” Evie sniffles. “Gretchen. Wyatt’s our goofy older brother.” She laughs a little.

I smile. “He said we’re the Scooby Gang. I guess that makes him Shaggy. You’re the hot one. I forgot her name.”

“Velma?”

“Daphne,” I amend. “Though Velma is hot in her own right. I think Gretchen would want to be Velma.”

“Aang is the handsome, bossy guy.” She smiles through her tears. “The one in the preppy clothes.”

“Does that mean I’m Scooby?” I ask. “Not the first time I’ve been called a bitch.”

She laughs, but it turns into a cry, then pulls me in for a hug. “I need you to change your mind.”

“Can’t do it.” I hug her back.

We stand there for a long while. Needing each other.

Eventually, she takes a deep breath and steps back. “Finish your breakfast. I’ll tell Gretchen and Wyatt. It might be easier that way, coming from me.”

“Okay.”

“Come down when you’re ready.” She squeezes my arms. “We have to say a proper goodbye.”

I want to tell her it’s not really goodbye. That it’s more of a ‘see you later’. But I don’t want to lie to her. Not now.

She leaves, and I crawl back into bed. Hiding from the world, from the truth. I can’t sleep. The longer I lie here, the more Juno creeps in, her raspy voice whispering “I’m sorry” endlessly.

I bury my face in my pillow and scream. Again and again, I let loose. Whatever block was inside me disintegrates under the force of my bloodcurdling shrieks, and I finally cry. I keep screaming until I can’t anymore. Until my breath is gone and my throat is raw.

Gulping in air, I force myself to still. After long moments, my breathing evens out, and I sit up, my head pounding, my throat on fire. Bumbling into the kitchen, I pour myself a glass of water.

The soldiers are still moving items onto the trucks down below, but their numbers are fewer. Only last-minute goods, I guess. Perhaps things looted from the surrounding buildings to make the journey easier.

I pop some ibuprofen, then drag my laptop down the counter. Evie must’ve brought it for me.

Cracking it open, I pull up the data from my blood. I’m deep into the images when I hear the elevator.

“No, I’m saying I can grab her. Then we’ll use Gretchen as the like, transporter.”

“My wheelchair isn’t for hire,” Gretchen grumbles.

“Hi!” I close my laptop and spin around in my chair as they all appear from the hallway.

“You’re coming with us,” Wyatt declares and plops onto my couch.

“Guys, we talked about this.” Evie glares at Wyatt.

“The Fellowship is breaking; it has already begun,” Wyatt says with a deep voice filled with gravity.

“What?” I raise my brows.

“He’s doing ‘Lord of the Rings’.” Evie sighs resignedly. “Again.”

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