Page 63 of Cherry Moon

“You have a family, Akira,” I heard my mum say from all those years ago.

“No, I don’t,” I’d said, resistant as hell.

“Yes, you do. Now is the time for healing.”

Wise words. Gorgeous words.

I closed my eyes, picturing her in her white sundress with the pink petals on. A tenshi, so beautiful, so divine.

Her name was Sakura.

Super befitting.

I saw Dad in the background with her, a hint of his face, reunited with the woman he loved before Sarah.

Peace be with you both, I thought, opening my eyes.

The tenshi letter vanished, a true sign of the book closing on that part of my life.

Let the next chapter begin.

Zach showed up an hour after everyone left.

“Hey,” I signed.

“Hey,” he responded.

His eye was the glossy red of the final phase of the Cherry Moon. It didn’t change color.

Those blond highlights were now the same red as his eye, pretty striking against the rest of his black hair.

The katana was nowhere in sight.

“They’re still running things by me about my new powers,” he said. “They wanted me to reiterate the point about you still being a target.”

“Okay. Nice of them.”

“And that The Eight are cunning. The Cherry Moon’s magic was a stroke of luck this time. Going forward, it won’t be the same. Menace crackles in the air.” He shot a disdainful look toward the ceiling.

I rolled my eyes. “When doesn’t it?”

“Anyway, let me show you this.” He snapped his fingers. With a puff of tiny Sakura, the katana appeared.

“Wow. I fucking love that.”

A second snap, and it disappeared the same way.

“Handy,” I said.

He nodded.

G wasn’t here, off to have a couple of scans to double check some things. Which gave us brothers a chance to talk about stuff.

I kicked things off with a splash of self-pity. “I’m sorry I’ve screwed you over. This wasn’t meant for you.”

The more I chewed on it, the harder the guilt kicked me the balls.

“You haven’t.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “I took up the sword. I knew what they were saying. It wasn’t hearing, but I felt the words. If that makes sense.”