Page 85 of Cemetery Boys

He listened carefully at the door and paused every couple of steps going down the stairs, but the house was silent and empty. That was odd, considering Lita was usually busy in the kitchen by now. He opened the front door, and Julian made a run for it.

“FREEDOM!” he whooped, bounding down the front steps.

Yadriel laughed and shook his head. Julian was in great spirits. Yadriel hesitated in the doorway and pulled his dagger out again. Did he really need it? Was it bad luck to assume the worst? Was he just welcoming something to go wrong by taking it to school? Maybe he should leave it—

Before he could make a decision, the door to the garage opened and Lita walked into the kitchen.

“I’ll make some food,” Lita said as she went to the stove.

Tío Catriz and his dad walked into view, each of them carrying a large box. Yadriel froze, panic cementing his feet to the floor. The voice in his head screamed at him to make a run for it, but it was like his body was short-circuiting, refusing to budge.

“Where should we put this?” his dad asked, his back to Yadriel.

Tío Catriz turned and immediately locked eyes with Yadriel over Enrique’s shoulder.

Tío Catriz’s face went from surprise to confusion. Before Yadriel could react, his gaze went to the portaje gripped in Yadriel’s hand.

Yadriel’s heart dropped to the floor.

Catriz had seen the dagger in his hand. He would recognize it as a portaje immediately.

For a split second, his tío’s expression went blank as he stared at the blade, but then—

Then he smiled.

“Put them in the living room,” Lita instructed, waving a hand as she put a pan on the stove.

Enrique started to turn toward the living room, where Yadriel remained rooted in the doorway, clutching his portaje.

Yadriel was doomed. His dad was going to see him with his portaje, caught red-handed.

A loud crash made everyone jump.

The box Tío Catriz was holding had toppled out of his arms, spilling prayer candles and copal incense all over the kitchen floor.

“Aye!” Lita gasped, clutching her chest.

“Careful of the glass!” Yadriel’s dad warned as broken shards crunched under their shoes.

“I’ll grab the broom!” Lita rushed to the garage.

“Ah, lo siento, hermano,” Tío Catriz said as he and Yadriel’s dad bent down to pick up the larger pieces.

“Don’t worry, we have plenty more,” Enrique reassured him.

Snapping out of it, Yadriel quickly slipped his portaje back into its sheath.

Tío Catriz caught his eye over his dad’s shoulder and gave him a small wink.

Relief and gratitude flooded Yadriel. His tío had just saved his ass, and he didn’t even seem mad that Yadriel had a portaje. He looked—well, he looked proud, which was a sentiment Yadriel hadn’t been gifted in a very long time.

He should’ve known that Tío Catriz would be on his side. He wanted to tell him everything, but right now wasn’t the time.

As they picked up the broken pieces, Yadriel slipped out the front door and ran to the gate, where Julian and Maritza waited.

“There you are,” Maritza sighed, pushing herself up from where she had been leaning against the gate. She wore a black puffy jacket and tight jeans, her hair pulled back in two short French braids.

“Jesus, how are you so slow?!” Julian demanded, throwing his hands up. “I thought you were— Hey, what’s with the smile?”