Grave Intentions (Darkling Mage 3)

“Carver doesn’t have to find out, okay? And he won’t. Not unless you rat me out to him.”

“I won’t,” Herald harrumphed. “It’s not like we’re hanging in some secret group chat together. What, I’ll be like, ‘Hey Carver, your boy Dustin is out here making awesome life choices again.’”

“Don’t be a dick, Herald, this is hard enough as it is.”

He scoffed. “Speaking as a member of the Lorica, I want you to know that this is highly irresponsible, and a direct violation of the Veil.” Then Herald sighed. “But speaking as your friend? I understand why you want to do this. And I support you.”

I smiled at him. “Thanks, man.”

“No problem,” Herald said, brushing his hair out of his eyes, giving me a rare smile in return. He drove on, and I waited for the followup. “It’ll only cost you a steak dinner.”

Ah. There it was. “Whatever you want, buddy. Anything you like.” And I suppose I was thankful for the shift in scenery, because it meant a change in subject as well. “I think we’re almost here.”

The vegetation was thinning. We’d passed a whole lot of nothing in the course of finding my father’s new home. I wouldn’t exactly say we were out in the boonies, but saying it was the edge of town might have undersold the distance. We definitely weren’t in Valero anymore. Things were getting pretty rural, and the shift from a bunch of trees to actual buildings was a welcome sight.

“We’re almost here,” Herald said, tapping his phone. “We just have to make a right turn, and – ”

“Yikes.”

“Oh,” Herald said. “Oh wow.”

I didn’t know whether Herald was seeing the same thing I was, but it wouldn’t have mattered. All the houses looked about the same, each in a more or less similar state of disrepair. What was once white was weathered, lawns untended, and shingles? What shingles? I had to admit, I was surprised that any of these houses were even on a GPS map.

My heart did a little tumble. Dad lived in one of these things. I should have guessed that his mental health would have taken even more of a nosedive all this time after my death. I should have come to see him sooner.

But it was going to be okay. We were going to get together again, on better terms, this time, and I was going to do what I could to move him back into the city, get him back on his feet. Maybe he could even reapply for his old job. We could be a family again.

“Color me crazy,” Herald said, “but it kind of looks like nobody lives around here.”

“I believe you. Half these places look almost abandoned. Which one is he in again?”

“Number forty-two. That one, on the left.”

It looked like every other house, except that it seemed slightly more maintained. The porch was still as busted as any other, floored over with uneven wood, the beams scarred with chipping paint, the railings grown over with weeds. The setting sun only made it look all the more forlorn. I had to get him out of there, and soon.

“This is it,” I said.

The engine sputtered to a halt. Herald tapped the steering wheel twice, as if with some finality. “Yeah. This is it. Get out there and make me proud.”

“Wait, you’re not coming with me?”

“What are you, Dustin? Twelve years old?”

I batted my eyelashes. I don’t know, don’t judge me. Like I said, the whole point of taking Herald with me was for moral support.

“Fine,” Herald growled. “Fucking fine. You’re such a baby.”

“Thanks, man.” I scrambled out of the car. “You’re the best.”

Herald did what I thought was his best not to slam the car door too hard. “Huge, fucking baby.”

My feet carried me to the porch, and I had to admonish them mentally. Not too fast. We’d waited months already, I thought. Another minute more wouldn’t make much difference. I stood at the threshold, breathing slowly, checking in with myself. This was it. I looked over my shoulder. Herald stood there expectantly, arms crossed, lip turned up, as supportive as he’d ever be.

“Go on,” he said, but not unkindly. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

“Thanks,” I muttered, more jittery than I’d hoped. I turned to the door, lifting my hand for the knob –

Which was when I noticed that the door was ajar.