Spell Broken

7 - The Funeral

Saturday, 2 weeks before arrest

As I stare at myself with my blue hair up in a too-tight bun, and a heavy layer of make-up on it hits me.

The cops aren't going to be able to find the murderer. They've barely been investigating as it is. They've been too busy preparing for this ceremony. What if the murderer is never found? Am I just supposed to go on for the rest of my life wondering who killed her?

Knock! Knock!

I jump at the sound, my head whipping towards the door.

"Honey?" Mom calls through it. "Are you ready?"

I take a deep breath – moving my hands with it as I do – and open the door. "As ready as I can be." Which really isn't much.

***

I stand outside the church doors welcoming people. You never really know how many people care until they come to a funeral, and even at that I'm not sure how many of them are actually here because they knew Madam Mara. Most of them are probably here out of respect for her being the protector. Former protector.

My stomach coils as I think about my ceremony after this.

As I finish welcoming someone I look down at the bottom of the stairs and see Miss. Grong heading up them.

When she reaches the top she comes over to me and grabs my hands. I manage to give her a meek smile. "How are you Lumi?" she asks.

"I'm okay," I tell her.

"Today's a sad day."

"It is."

"But also an important one." She winks.

I shrug. "I guess it can be both."

"Of course it's both! It's Madam Mara's funeral and your protector ceremony. Everyone's coming to both! You must be excited!" Her eyes are lit up. It almost seems like it's her ceremony day.

"Not really. I wish Madam Mara was here," I tell her.

"We all do." She doesn't seem like she does. She lays a hand over her heart. "On another note Lumi, I need to talk to you about your math grade."

At the mention of my grade Mom looks our way and excuses herself from the person she was talking to and makes her way over here. I sigh. Why must she have good hearing? "What about her math grade?" she asks.

Miss. Grong turns to her. "Lumi's grade has been slipping. Long before all of this, but it's really been dropping recently."

Mom turns to me and glares. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrug. Maybe because I didn't want you to know?

"I suggest getting her a tutor," Miss. Grong continues. "I even have someone who is volunteering to do so."

"Really? Who?" Mom asks at the same time I ask, "Who?"

"Neo Ulan."

"Neo?" Mom asks. Miss. Grong nods.

Why would Neo want to help me? He's always been too busy to help anyone. Amber knows best, because she would ask him and when he said no she would complain to me and I had to help her. "Isn't he busy?" I ask.

"He said he had an opening in his schedule. But between us he's doing it for the extra credit." At that Miss. Grong lets out a loud laugh.

I bite my lip. I don't buy it. Why would Neo help me? Sure he's nice and everything, but he's always busy. So... what changed?