Thorns Of Her Reborn

had told her grandmother in years. Nana had looked at her for a long moment over the rim of her teacup. Then she had said, "Wear

Lyra sat by the window with her hands in her lap. She had not slept

had asked her to, in his own handwriting. But she could not do it. She needed to see for hersel

me back. She ate one of the

er life. Tall glass towers stood along the harbor. The air smelled of salt and diesel

rowd. The funeral would be held the next day, but the doors were open for a private viewing. A man in a dark suit stood at the entra

y respects?

es

th a pen beside it. Lyra picked up the pen. She held it over the page. S

elled of candle wax and white lilies. Staff in dark sui

ch rolled. She grabbed the end of a pew and bre

covered in white flowers. A photograph of D

were too short. Her boots left damp marks on the stone. The peop

ar the front, talk

othing left to bury,"

at's in

akes the ca

he man she had stitched up in her kitchen was not

t was the same face. The man in the picture looked cold an

orning from the edge of the high frost line. She laid it on

u were," she whisper

to tell him what she had learned on the bench behind the greenhouse. But there was no one t

amera above the frame. For one second,

the cold air, and the

urity room, Vivienne Sterling wa

light from the monitors every time she moved her hand. She had been standing t

," sh

sket, seen from above. She had dark curls and a worn

he?" Vivi

" the technician said. "She

leaned closer. "She's wearing a

. The girl's palm res

" Vivienne said. "Some do it for another reas

d out. The doo

quiet man in a gray suit. He had worked for the Sterlings for eleven yea

" Vivienne asked,

am," Ron

f the monitor. She noticed everything. Sh

said. "Before the funeral

, ma

that made it worse. "My husband had many secrets. I want

once and le

e. While Vivienne had been talking to the technician, h

aret Vance's chin. He had last seen it ten years ago, at

He remembered an old woman who had once slipped bus money into his hand without saying

e in his pocket