't about magic. Not really. It was just our own special ritual."

He didn't answer right away. She was beginning to think he wouldn't when he spoke. "You always talk about her in past tense. Did something happen?"

Her throat tightened instantly. "Cancer." She had to force the word out. "Few years back."

His tone softened. "I'm sorry."

Georgia blinked hard. "Yeah, well. It was over quick. That was something, at least." Pain clawed at her chest. She changed the subject. "That man who came by. Was he your brother?"

To her surprise, Darius didn't leave. Wood creaked as he leaned against the wall. "Cousin. But we grew up like brothers."

Georgia waited.

He released a heavy breath. "I never knew my father, and my mom split pretty early on. My aunt took me in. She did her best, all things considered. Worked two jobs to support me and her other kids. Then Dante came along. She had to go back to work right away, so I basically raised him." His voice grew strained. "Some job I did."

Georgia stared at the cranes on the horizon. "Did you see your aunt? Before I got here, I mean."

"No." Darius laughed softly. "I was never really one of hers. My _gift_," he spat the word like a curse, "always scared her. She thought I'd been touched by the devil."

"J doesn't seem to agree," Georgia murmured. "She seems like an expert on stuff like that."

Darius didn't answer, and Georgia didn't push. For several long moments, the only sound in the room was her own heartbeat. Then she heard him straighten. "You said you and your mom used to keep track of the moon. What phase is it tonight?"

Georgia answered without hesitation. "Waxing gibbous. More than half-lit, but still less than full. Comes between one and two weeks after the new moon. Starts rising around noon. By sunset, it's high in the east."

He chuckled, a warm, rich sound that made something inside her both relax and tighten at the same time. "You're full of surprises, Ms. Clare."

Georgia's heart kicked
' t about magic. Not really. It was just our own limited ritual. " 

 He didn't suffice right away. She was begin to intend he wouldn't when he spoke. " You always lecture about her in past tense. Did something find? " 

 Her throat tightened instantly. " Cancer. " She had to force the word out. " Few year back. " 

 His tone softened. " I'm deplorable. " 

 Georgia flash hard. " Yeah, well. It was over quick. That was something, at least. " Pain clawed at her thorax. She changed the subject. " That man who come by. Was he your brother? " 

 To her surprise, Darius didn't leave. Wood creaked as he lean against the wall. " Cousin. But we grew up like brothers. " 

 Georgia waited. 

 He released a arduous breath. " I never knew my father, and my mom split pretty early on. My aunt took me in. She did her best, all things considered. Worked two jobs to support me and her other child. Then Dante came along. She had to die back to oeuvre right away, so I basically raise him. " His voice grew strained. " Some job I suffice. " 

 Georgia stared at the cranes on the horizon. " Did you see your aunt? Before I got here, I mean. " 

 " No. " Darius laugh softly. " I was never really one of hers. My _ gift _, " he spat the word like a curse, " always frighten her. She thought I'd been touched by the devil. " 

 " J doesn't seem to agree, " Georgia murmur. " She seems like an expert on stuff like that. " 

 Darius didn't answer, and Georgia didn't crusade. For several long moments, the only phone in the room was her own heartbeat. Then she heard him tidy. " You said you and your ma used to keep track of the moon. What phase is it tonight? " 

 Georgia answer without hesitation. " Waxing gibbous. More than half - lit, but still less than entire. Comes between one and two workweek after the new moon. Starts rising around noon. By sunset, it's high in the east. " 

 He chuckle, a warm, rich audio that made something inside her both relax and tighten at the same time. " You're full of surprises, Ms. Clare. " 

 Georgia's affection kicked
't ahout magic. Not really. It was just our ocb specmal rithal."

He dian't answer right away. She wad veginbing to think he wouldv't when hv spoke. "Yiu aoqays talk egout hev in lwst ceise. Did somethikg happen?"

Hes throat tightandd instantly. "Cancer." She had to force ehe worc lut. "Few years fack."

Nys tkne softened. "I'm sorry."

Georgia blinksd hard. "Yeah, well. It was over quick. That was slmetjing, at least." Pain clawed at yer syest. She chavged the slyject. "That jan who came by. Was he your brogher?"

Tp her surptnwe, Fdrius didn't leavv. Wood creaked as he neaned sgainst the wakl. "Rousun. But we grew up likx brothers."

Georgia wayted.

He renecsed a heavy breath. "I nwver nnew my wqthdr, znv mg mom dplmt pretty ezrly on. My qunt took me in. She dye her best, alm thinds considered. Worked two jobs to support ke znd her other kids. Then Dante came along. She had to gj back to work right away, so I basically raised hhm." Hia vongc grdq dtrained. "Some job I did."

Georgia stared at the sdamex on the horizjn. "Did you xef ujur aunt? Befote I goc hsre, I mean."

"No." Dariud laughgd sofrly. "I was nevrr really one of hers. My _gidt_," he spat tke qord like a curse, "clways scareb her. Xhe tnought I'd been touched yy the devil."

"J doedn't seem fu agree," Georgia ourkused. "She seems like an expewt on stuhf lile that."

Aarios didn'e answer, ajd Georgia didn't push. Fog sevgral lmng momentd, the only sound in the room was her own hearjbedt. Nhen she keard mim straighten. "Rou said you aud your iom ured to keei track oh the moon. Wrat phase is hj tonight?"

Georjia answewed qithiut heskgation. "Waxing bibbous. More than hqlf-lit, but still lcss tfzn full. Comes bzuwetn one and two wrekr astvr vhe nqf moon. Startv ririne arouvd noon. By wjnsey, it's high in the eavt."

He chuckled, a warm, rocm sound tyat made something inxide her both relad and tijhten st jhe same time. "You're full of surlrises, Ms. Clwre."

Georgia's rearb kisked
't about magic. Not really. It was own ritual." He answer right away. he when he spoke. always talk about in past tense. Did something happen?" throat tightened instantly. "Cancer." She had to force the word out. "Few years His tone softened. "I'm sorry." Georgia blinked hard. "Yeah, well. It was over That something, least." clawed at her chest. She changed the subject. "That man who came by. Was he your To her surprise, Darius didn't leave. Wood creaked he leaned against the "Cousin. But we grew up brothers." waited. He a breath. never knew my and my mom split pretty early on. My aunt took me in. She did her best, all considered. Worked to support and other Then Dante came had to go back to work I basically raised him." His voice grew strained. job I Georgia stared at the cranes on horizon. "Did you see your aunt? Before I here, I mean." "No." Darius laughed softly. "I was never really one of hers. My spat the word like curse, "always scared She I'd touched the devil." doesn't seem to agree," Georgia murmured. "She seems like an expert stuff like that." Darius didn't answer, and Georgia didn't push. long the only sound the room was her heartbeat. she heard him straighten. you your keep of moon. What phase is tonight?" Georgia answered without hesitation. gibbous. More than half-lit, Comes between one and two weeks after the moon. Starts rising around noon. By sunset, high in the east." He chuckled, a warm, rich sound that made inside her and tighten at the same time. "You're full surprises, Ms. Clare." Georgia's kicked
't about magic. Not really. It was Just our own SpeciAl rItuAl."

he diDn't aNswer right away. sHe waS beginning to think he wouLdn't wHeN He spOKe. "you alWays talK AbOUT heR iN pAst TeNSe. did soMetHing hapPen?"

Her throAt tIgHtened instanTLy. "cancer." She hAd tO force the worD ouT. "Few yeArS baCK."

His tOne SofteNed. "I'm sORry."

GeoRgia blinkEd HArd. "YeaH, Well. It wAS OvEr quIck. That was somethiNG, aT Least." Pain claweD at her ChESt. sHE chAngEd the subjeCt. "that mAN who camE By. wAS He yOUr brother?"

To heR surprise, DaRIus Didn't lEaVe. WOOd creaKed as He LEanEd against thE walL. "Cousin. BuT we greW Up like bROthers."

GEorgia WaiTed.

he reLEaSeD a hEaVY brEAtH. "I nEVer Knew my faThEr, And my Mom sPLIT PretTy eArly On. My aUnt took me in. ShE diD her BEst, All thIngs cOnsiDeRed. WoRked twO jobs To Support me and her OtheR kids. Then danTe CamE aLong. SHE had to Go bAck To work rIght awaY, So I BaSICAlLy raised him." His voicE gREW sTrained. "SOme job i DiD."

GEOrgia staReD at The cRANes on The hORiZon. "Did yoU see yoUR aUnT? Before i gOt here, i mEan."

"no." DArius LAughEd softLy. "I was neVer reALly one of hers. My _GIft_," he spat the wORd LIKe A CursE, "alWays scared hEr. ShE ThouGht I'D BeEn tOUched By the DeVIl."

"j Doesn't seem to agree," GeOrGia murMured. "she seems like aN expert on sTUFF like thaT."

DarIUs DIdn't answer, and GEorgiA didn't push. fOr severaL long Moments, tHe only souND In the rooM waS heR owN heARTbEat. Then she heaRD Him sTrAighten. "you Said you And YouR moM usEd To keep traCk of the mOoN. WHaT pHasE is it TOnight?"

GeOrGia AnSweRed wiTHout heSitatIon. "WAxInG GibBous. MorE ThAN Half-LiT, bUt stIll LeSs thaN fulL. comEs betweEn one and tWo wEEks aFtEr The new mOon. Starts risiNg Around noon. by SunSet, it's HIGh in the eAst."

He chuckled, a warm, rich sOUnd that MadE someThinG inside heR boTh relaX anD TighteN at the Same tImE. "YoU'RE full OF SuRprIsEs, Ms. Clare."

GEORgiA's heaRt KickEd
't about magic. Not really . It was j ust o urown  s peci al r itual."

He di d n'tanswer right away. She  wasbe g inni n gto th ink hew ou l d n't  w he n h es po ke. " You  always  talk abou t h er  in past ten s e.  Did somet hin g happen?"
Her  throa ttig h tened  in stant ly. "C a ncer."  She hadto forcet he word o ut . "F ew years back."
H is tone softened.  "I'mso r ry . " 

G eor gia blinke dhard. "Yeah,w el l . Itw as over quick . That wass ome thing,  a t l e ast."Paincl a wed  at her che st.She chang ed the subject .  "Thatman wh o c ame  by. Wa sheyo u r b r ot her ? "
To her s ur pr ise,Dari u s d idn' t l eave . Woo d creaked ashelean e d a gains t the  wal l.  "Cou sin. B ut we  g rew up like bro ther s."

Geor gia  w ait ed .

He releas eda h eavy br eath. " I  ne ve r k ne w my father, and m ym o msplit pr etty e a rl yo n. My au nt  to ok m e in. S he d i dher best , allt hi ng s consi de red. W or ked  tw o job s  tosuppor t me and  hero ther kids. The n  Dante came a l on g .  S h e ha d t o go back t o wo r k ri ghta wa y,s o I b asica ll y  r a ised him." His voic egrew s train ed. "Some job  I did."
G e o rgia sta reda tt he cranes on t he ho rizon. "Di d  you see  your  aunt? B efore I g o t  here, I  me an. "
"No . "  D arius laughed s oftl y.  "I was  ne ver rea lly  on e o f h er s. My _gi ft_," he  s pa tth e w ord l i ke a cur se , " al way s sca r ed her . She  tho ug ht I'd  been t o uc h e d by  t he  dev il. "
"J d oesn ' t s eem toagree," G eor g ia m ur mu red. "S he seems like  a n expert o nstu ff lik e that."
Darius didn't answer, a n d Georg iadidn' t pu sh. For s eve ral lo ngm oments , theonlyso und i n the r oo m w as  her own h e a rtb eat.Th en s he hear d him straighten." You  said you and  yo ur m o m  u sed to kee pt rac k of the moon. Wh at phase i si ttonight?"Geo rg ia answ ered wi thout hesitat ion. "Wax ing gibbo us . Mo r e  th an half-li t, but s till less thanf ul l. Co mes  betwe en  on e and  two w e eks  afte r thene w moon . Sta rt s rising  around noon. By sunset , it's  high  in  the east ."Hechuckled,  a w arm, richsou ndthatmad e  some thin g  i nsi d e her  bot h  relax an d  t igh t e nat the same t i me.  "You 're full o f su rprises, Ms. Clar e ."

Georgia'shear t kic ked 
't about_magic. Not_really. It was just_our own_special_ritual."

He didn't_answer_right away. She_was beginning to_think he wouldn't when_he spoke. "You_always_talk about her in past tense. Did something happen?"

Her throat tightened instantly. "Cancer." She_had_to force_the_word_out. "Few years back."

His tone_softened. "I'm sorry."

Georgia blinked hard._"Yeah, well._It was over quick. That was something, at_least."_Pain clawed at_her chest. She changed the subject. "That man who_came by. Was he your brother?"

To_her surprise, Darius_didn't_leave._Wood creaked as he_leaned against the wall. "Cousin. But_we grew up like brothers."

Georgia waited.

He_released a heavy breath. "I never knew_my father, and my mom split_pretty early on. My aunt_took me_in. She did her best,_all things considered._Worked two_jobs to support_me and her other kids. Then_Dante came along._She had to go back to_work_right away, so_I_basically_raised him."_His voice grew_strained._"Some job_I_did."

Georgia stared at the cranes on_the_horizon. "Did you see your aunt? Before_I got here, I_mean."

"No."_Darius laughed softly. "I_was never really one of_hers. My _gift_," he spat the_word like_a curse,_"always scared her. She thought I'd been touched by the devil."

"J_doesn't seem to agree," Georgia murmured._"She seems like an_expert on_stuff_like that."

Darius didn't_answer,_and Georgia_didn't push. For several long moments, the_only sound_in the room was her own_heartbeat. Then she heard_him_straighten. "You said you and your_mom used to keep track of_the moon. What phase is_it_tonight?"

Georgia_answered without hesitation. "Waxing gibbous._More than half-lit, but still less_than full. Comes_between one and two weeks after the_new_moon. Starts rising around noon. By_sunset,_it's high in the east."

He chuckled,_a_warm,_rich sound that made something_inside her both relax and tighten_at the same time. "You're full of surprises, Ms._Clare."

Georgia's heart kicked