Bella De La Luna

g on the night of her eighte

ordinary cold - not the bite

ows of Saint Elara's with thei

and knees in the ga

t strange f

catalogued every cold and fe

ethodical attention born of gr

nd burdens made people like y

mperature, no sore throat, no i

g inside her that had been tu

d was correcting its orientati

nt

ck lane behind the orphanag

e ritual, not the kind she'd ev

t on the one day of the year

ane wound behind the property

new every stone of it. She had

n between, and it had n

er skin rather than against i

t smelled of pine resin and

eral and deep, like water fro

lig

he word arrived with the full

hanage's obligation to her en

ster at the state college in M

ssor Alvarado had called excep

A DE

ing a plan was the only thing

ific despair of people who had

h

n to believe

started in

tion for this. The sensation

ot like anything, just itself

adiated outward simultaneously

the whole thing doubled in ma

ore she fully processed that sh

shockwave up through the vibr

was something her nervous

scre

ere below her normal voice

rd, from the kitchen window

g down too fast, and then the

the door opened and the light

n it was her shado

had the w

rself, still on hands and knee

d had grown at the shoulders

that visual was enough to ma

comparative silence she coul

inct rhythms, individual and r

floor and identified Lacy by t

someone who was worr

he kitchen light was a six

throat - half her voice, ha

and was frightened by it in t

ys been but have been

the door. In thirty years of

nd nightmares and first heartb

at had never had room for t

nt Bloodlin

om every one of them, because

present wit

different g

garden light: her daughter on

king, the whole body, the ki

external cold. The shoulder b

n herself - the blue one, Mari

e quiet pleasure of someone w

outward against the fabric in

s. The caramel skin catching m

. Not reflecting it. Gathering

ction into something mor

cy said, and her voice was s

ould

tween a sob and somethin

ire eyes turned up toward Lacy

t beyond what eyes in a human

han receiving it, a soft blue-

Mom, I can hear everything. Eve

he window - their wings

aid. She meant it in

acking

ain forests, heard ice-lad

as not identical to what she h

e of deep structural adjustment

ered, purposeful sound of some

ed deeper into the dirt and t

d something her mind

ld very

different mother, same

ad given her a phone number fo

ng unexpected. She had not as

ok of a man who thou

A DE

ed in the garden was the si

her with sa

the way that mattered, compl

Please don't b

of the property, something a

nd of a predator announcing te

eing given. This way. We'v

ng toward the sound. Every

with the clarity that extreme

be pulled between two things t

tcome of this pull w

ed at her. "Baby girl. Go fin

did not try to control it. "I w

hear me? I a

in three strides and pressed

nt of contact, fur against her

ost herself - and then turned

trees like a word forgotte

alone in

r the cold to fully arrive and

undamental in her understandi

reorganize itself ar

t at the kitchen table. She

sol's particular favorite sinc

r half-brother had given her.

different set of steps. The ini

ith the imp

di

ne rang

the other end. Not surprised

this call and had not let hims

it came. "Is

ent Bloodli

t," Lacy said. "She went a

uti

er end lasted exactly

he said. "Tonight. They'll

d of

nything in thirty years," L

birthday cake. She turned the

e from th

n to wait for her daughter

ld tell her wh