Just like that.
Like a car hitting a wall at full speed. The body going one direction, the world going the other, and the soft tissue between them tearing because flesh was not built to change direction that fast.
Within me, joy and grief collided inside my chest. Laughter still caught in my throat while sorrow crawled up to meet it. I could feel both at once—the aftertaste of cherry sake on my tongue and the smell of wax in my sinuses.
My Tiger had put a dragon’s claw into the center of my ballroom and then opened graves toward the back.
What did she want my men to do?
One by one, climb into them?
Bury themselves into the grief of old things that should be forgotten?
So much anger pulsed within me that my breathing had gone uneven.
Nyomi left my side and got in front of us. “Tonight. . .we not only celebrate life. . .but. . .we remember our dead.”
We all remained frozen.
The violin wept.
The flames on the lit candles swayed.
“This is a space for you to. . .release anything you want.” She scanned all of our faces. “If you feel the need to. . .go ahead and go up to the altar.”
No one moved.
“Light a candle,” she continued. “For the people you’ve lost.”
Kaede shifted his weight to his other foot.
“Take your time.” She slowly nodded. “Speak to them. I believe they can hear you. Pray to them. I believe they would be soothed.”
The line of my jaw twitched.
“If you. . .need more. . .” She pointed to the side. “There are monks here to guide you.”
I snapped my head toward the edges of the space, and there they were. Five fucking monks wearing robes and standing just beyond the candlelight.
My stomach turned.
I put my gaze back on my Tiger.
“Alright.” Nyomi placed her hands behind her. “We can begin.”
Absolutely not. Sorry, Tora, but we’re not doing this.
And then my Roar moved.
I gritted my teeth.
Reo walked past us and began muttering words.
Is he speaking Thai?
Without any hesitation, Reo walked straight to his mother’s picture, lowered to his knees, picked up the matchbook, and struck.
I swallowed.
