Hall of Shadows [The Celestial Chronicles #2]

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Forever

"Away, melancholy,

Away with it, let it go."

- Stevie Smith, "Away, Melancholy"

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Soundtrack of the chapter: Heart by Thomas Bergersen ( ok seriously YOU NEED TO PLAY THIS TRACK WHILE READING, TRUST ME. And prepare a lot of tissues)

Media: Farewell, Jasper

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Chapter Thirty-Nine: Forever

Josh did not expect whatever that was inside the main Hall-millions of broken glass, the bloodied floor, and his sister cradling a dead person. When he tried to move her away from the body, she had screamed and bit his hand, no longer recognizing him.

Firaun turned up a few minutes later, bloodied but unharmed. He appraised the situation with his stone-cold blue eyes, lips pursed. "Move Cady from Jasper. He is gone."

"Keep your troops away from this. Cady wouldn't like unwanted attention."

The High Priest nodded. "Make it swift. The Chaldean Order has almost arrived and they need to speak to Cady. Apparently, news of the last Walker spreads fast."

Firaun swept out, his cape billowing behind him. Even in battle, he held himself with a cold dignity, sparing no emotions when it comes to Starlet affairs. Josh turned back to his sister. He slid his hands over hers which were so tightly wrapped around the dead boy's it was as if they were fused together.

"Hey baby sis, it's okay. Big brother got this."

Cady didn't respond. She continued rocking the body to and fro, crying silently.

The boy in her arms must have been Jasper. Josh was a little surprised. He looked no older than he was, perhaps only by a couple years. Shocking how a young man could call forth an army of the dead, killing people as though they were mere flies.

"Cady, it's over. We won the war."

Her eyes fluttered open. "We didn't win anything," was her reply.

"The Chaldean Order wishes to talk to you," he prodded her gently. "You did us a great favor."

"Killing Jasper isn't something that should be glorified. I don't want to meet them. Tell them to go away."

"Well, you got to leave this place at some point," Josh said.

"I want him buried in the Hall of Shadows," she suddenly said. "I want him to be home."

Josh patted her shoulder. He was trying his best not to prise his sister from the boy--Jasper and sweep her into a hug. But he knew even if he tried, she would never release Jasper. He looked at Jasper's face again-the face of a child, just like him. He looked beautiful, even in death, the face of innocence where death had purged the darkness from.

"I'm sure Firaun would say yes. His troops are already rounding up the dead bodies, preparing a pyre to burn them and bury them in the catacombs."

"I want to burn him with my own hands," Cady said, brushing a lock of Jasper's hair out of his face.

Josh looked at his sister, trying to see through her. Suddenly, it felt as if he didn't know her anymore. She was no longer the child fighting him over bed space, or even throwing jokes around with him. It was as if someone had ripped an essential part of her soul out with a sharp blade before pushing it deeper, hollowing it out so that it may never be replaced.