relieved as he did. Sky glanced around, wondering where T-Bone and Hands were hiding. And why were his parents still throwing a surprise party? Hadn't Andrew and Crystal told them what had happened?
Then, in the shadows behind Andrew and Crystal, Sky saw Chase Shroud. Chase raised a plate of cake, toasting Sky in greeting, before taking a humongous bite and, by the looks of it, enjoying it thoroughly.
Before Sky could figure out what was going on, the hunter in the pine box groaned.
'There's a woman in this box!" Dad exclaimed. "Helen! She's injured! Get your supplies!"
As Mom raced for the kitchen, the others gathered around.
Sky stood, still wheezing. He watched Crystal, worried at how she might react. "I think it's-"
"My mom ... , " Crystal muttered in shocked disbelief.
Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide. Reaching down hesitantly, as if fearing she might slip away, Crystal took her mother's hand and started to cry.
Sky's heart broke as he watched the flood of agony wash over Crystal's face. She was always the strong one, the glue that held them together; he had never seen her look so anguished before. For three years Crystal had believed her mother was lost, and now Cass was lying in a coffin with an arrow in her heart, dying in front of her. Sky couldn't imagine how Crystal must feel. He could get close, maybe, because of what he had suffered with Phineas and Errand, but he had learned over the last year that pains were like snowflakes: Each one was unique. Sky wanted to reach out to Crystal, to help her as she had helped him so many times before, but he didn't know what to do, and fear of doing the wrong thing-of making her grief worse-paralyzed him.
Before Sky could figure it out, Andrew put his arm around Crystal-the gesture awkward, but sincere. Crystal seemed to relax the tiniest bit and her tears fell more freely, in great drops.
Mom rushed back in carrying a small bag, her fingers deftly sorting through it. She reached the coffin and her face froze. "Cass ..."She glanced at Cassandra, then at Crystal. She put her hand on Crystal's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "She'll be okay." With her normal efficiency, Mom shook herself out of her stupor and set to work. "Herman, Chase-carry the coffin into the kitchen."
"Of course, Mrs. Weathers," said Chase sweetly, taking one last humongous bite of cake. Chase handed his plate to Sky. "Stay close," Chase whispered, "we need to talk." "Hannah, my bag." Mom shoved her bag into Hannah's hands. "Crystal, just ... hold on."
"Shouldn't we call an ambulance? Or the police?" asked Derek.
Everyone stared at Derek. He was the only one in the room who knew nothing about monsters and hunters.
“It'll be okay, Derek," Dad said reassuringly. "Helen's well trained, and Sheriff Beau should be along shortly. Can you grab that corner of the coffin?"
Derek hesitated and then, reluctantly, helped with the coffin.
Andrew detached himself from Crystal. He whispered something in her ear and she nodded. Then he crossed to join Sky, holding him back as the others left the room.
Sky stood watching as they carried the coffin out of the foyer, too tired to follow even if Andrew hadn't stopped him. He could hear Mom barking orders down the hall, and then her voice trailed off and disappeared as they headed for the distant kitchen in the east wing. If anyone could save Cass, Mom could.
Sky and Andrew shuffled their feet. Sky wasn't quite sure what to say and, apparently, neither was Andrew. The problem was, he had so much to say and didn't know how to say any of it. So instead, he gave Andrew a quick pat on the arm, and Andrew grinned.
"I thought you were dead," said Sky. "Nope," Andrew replied eloquently.
Sky grinned. "Where are T-Bone and Hands?"
''T-Bone went to find Malvidia," said Andrew. "Hands is tracking down Tick, Lazy Eye, and Squid. Everyone was supposed to meet here to start our
Then, in the shadows behind Andrew and Crystal, Sky saw Chase Shroud. Chase raised a plate of cake, toasting Sky in greeting, before taking a humongous bite and, by the looks of it, enjoying it thoroughly.
Before Sky could figure out what was going on, the hunter in the pine box groaned.
'There's a woman in this box!" Dad exclaimed. "Helen! She's injured! Get your supplies!"
As Mom raced for the kitchen, the others gathered around.
Sky stood, still wheezing. He watched Crystal, worried at how she might react. "I think it's-"
"My mom ... , " Crystal muttered in shocked disbelief.
Her mouth hung open and her eyes were wide. Reaching down hesitantly, as if fearing she might slip away, Crystal took her mother's hand and started to cry.
Sky's heart broke as he watched the flood of agony wash over Crystal's face. She was always the strong one, the glue that held them together; he had never seen her look so anguished before. For three years Crystal had believed her mother was lost, and now Cass was lying in a coffin with an arrow in her heart, dying in front of her. Sky couldn't imagine how Crystal must feel. He could get close, maybe, because of what he had suffered with Phineas and Errand, but he had learned over the last year that pains were like snowflakes: Each one was unique. Sky wanted to reach out to Crystal, to help her as she had helped him so many times before, but he didn't know what to do, and fear of doing the wrong thing-of making her grief worse-paralyzed him.
Before Sky could figure it out, Andrew put his arm around Crystal-the gesture awkward, but sincere. Crystal seemed to relax the tiniest bit and her tears fell more freely, in great drops.
Mom rushed back in carrying a small bag, her fingers deftly sorting through it. She reached the coffin and her face froze. "Cass ..."She glanced at Cassandra, then at Crystal. She put her hand on Crystal's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "She'll be okay." With her normal efficiency, Mom shook herself out of her stupor and set to work. "Herman, Chase-carry the coffin into the kitchen."
"Of course, Mrs. Weathers," said Chase sweetly, taking one last humongous bite of cake. Chase handed his plate to Sky. "Stay close," Chase whispered, "we need to talk." "Hannah, my bag." Mom shoved her bag into Hannah's hands. "Crystal, just ... hold on."
"Shouldn't we call an ambulance? Or the police?" asked Derek.
Everyone stared at Derek. He was the only one in the room who knew nothing about monsters and hunters.
“It'll be okay, Derek," Dad said reassuringly. "Helen's well trained, and Sheriff Beau should be along shortly. Can you grab that corner of the coffin?"
Derek hesitated and then, reluctantly, helped with the coffin.
Andrew detached himself from Crystal. He whispered something in her ear and she nodded. Then he crossed to join Sky, holding him back as the others left the room.
Sky stood watching as they carried the coffin out of the foyer, too tired to follow even if Andrew hadn't stopped him. He could hear Mom barking orders down the hall, and then her voice trailed off and disappeared as they headed for the distant kitchen in the east wing. If anyone could save Cass, Mom could.
Sky and Andrew shuffled their feet. Sky wasn't quite sure what to say and, apparently, neither was Andrew. The problem was, he had so much to say and didn't know how to say any of it. So instead, he gave Andrew a quick pat on the arm, and Andrew grinned.
"I thought you were dead," said Sky. "Nope," Andrew replied eloquently.
Sky grinned. "Where are T-Bone and Hands?"
''T-Bone went to find Malvidia," said Andrew. "Hands is tracking down Tick, Lazy Eye, and Squid. Everyone was supposed to meet here to start our
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