Itwasacloudlessnight.

Thefullmoonhunginthesky,yetnotasiarwasvisible.Thedarknesswasabsolute,pure.Yetthemoonitselfwasdim,shroudedinahazyhalo,asifveiledingauze.

Threadsofmoonlight,fineanduntouchable,slippedthroughthehalf-opengsswindowandthelooselydrawnfloralcurtains,spillingintothequietbedroom.

Atfirst,thelighthadsettledonthecream-coloreddesk,castingafainttriangurglow.Butnow,thatglowseemedalive,twisting,slidingoffthedesk,creepingacrossthehardwoodfllidihew,andfinallyclimbingontothewhitefour-posterbedwithitspartedcurtains.Thereitpausedbesideaslender,palehaingatopthesheet.

Reyasummonedwhatstrengthshehadleft,pushingherselfuprightagainsttheheadboard.Shecouldfeelhervitalenergysurginguntrolblytowardherabdomen.Asshemoved,thesheetslipped,revealingherbare,gauntshoulders.Herskihanthemoonlightitself,fwless,smoothaspor,almostglowingfaintlyinthedark.

Thistime,itwasingfaster.Stronger.

Sheslowlyraisedherarm,themovementsosluggishitwasbarelyperceptible.Itwasn''''''''tthatshedidn''''''''twanttomovefaster.Herbodysimplydidn''''''''thaveenoughenergylefttotroleventhiswispofhazymoonlight.

Damnit.Ofallnights,whymusttheskyfuntalunarhalotonight?

Drawingasharpbreath,shesuddenlyliftedherhand,pressedhermoonlight-entangledfioherforehead.Instantly,asmallpurplishbirthmark-likespotbetweenherbrowsfshedcrimsonlight.

Shestruggledtutetheenergyflow,fherselftosteadyherbreath.Themoonlightrosefromherforeheadlikeaglowingstrandofgossamer,suspehestiflingairofthebedroom.Oetheredtoherbrow,theotherstretgtowardthegapiains.

IfLuweretoseethis...

No.Notimetoworryaboutthat.

Theweightinherlowerabdomengrewheavier,bulgingfaintlybehesheet.

Almostthere.Almost.

Reyacouldn''''''''tsitupproperly.Shebentherlegs,half-reingagainsttheheadboard,herfeetphemattress,herhandsgrippingthecarvedbedframe.Sweatbeadedonherforehead,heramethysthairgingtohercheeks,makingherdelicatefaceappearghostlypale.

Afaintmoanbrokeinthedarkness.Soft,asifsqueezedoutfromthecrathewoodenfloorboardsbehebed.Ifoenedclosely,itwasalmostindistinct,yetitcarriedanagresonance,asifdredgedfromthedepthsofhersoul.

Tick.

Thepinkarmclothenightstandclickedasthehourhandpassedone.Reyaexhaledinrelief.Themoonlighttetheredtoherforeheadsuddenlysnappedfree,recoilinglikeabrokenrubberband,instantlyretreatingbacktothecream-coloreddesk.Besideit,ablue-coveredtextbook''''''''spagesflutteredfaintly,asifbrushedbyaphantombreeze,beforesettlingbatostillness.

TheonlysouintheroomwasReya''''''''sraggedbreathing.Everythingwasnain.Asifnothinghadhappened.

Halfanhourter,shesatupagain,wipingthesweatfromherbrowwiththebackofherhand.Shesweptherlong,violethairoveroneshoulderandcarefullyliftedthesheet.Behyaclusterofgrape-sizedvioletorbs.

Fromthenightstand,sheretrievedaslender-neckedgssbottle,pullingoutthewoodenstopper.Withherslenderfingers,shepinchedeachorbonebyone.

Pop.Pop.Pop.

Thecolorlessliquidinsideseepedout,collegile.Thepurplehusksshriveled.Withalightrubbetweenherfiheycrumbledintodust.

Shetedthem.Forty-eight.

Stilloneshort.Whichmeantshehadehispainfornothing.

Sheshookthebottlegently.Theliquidinsidewasslightlythickerthanwater,gingtothegsswalls.

Carefully,shestoredthebottleaway.Itwasn''''''''tenoughtofreeLufromhisstateasalivingdead,butatleastitwouldlethimholdonalittlelonger,justenoughtoseemnormal.

Reyayonherside,gazingatthephotoonthenightstand:alittlegirlinaprincessdress,smililybesideatall,handsomemaninapoliiform.

Fourteenyears.Shehadgrownupdaybyday,whilehehadaged.

Shehadthoughttheywouldhavemany,manymoreyearstogether.Butayearago,anactatacrimesehadnearlytakenhimfromher.

Luckily,I''''''''mademoness.Isaveyou.

Forayearshehadgtothatbelief.

Justalittlelonger.

Damnthatmanwhoforcedmetodrinkstnight.

Anddamnthishazymoon.