Page 138 of Espíritu

“Thanks,” he murmured, his voice catching. “I dunno what happened, but thanks.”

“Family sticks together, right?” Julian said, his voice thick with emotion. Around him, his friends nodded, a silent vow reaffirmed.

As they helped Luca sit up, Lita stepped forward, her wise eyes soft with approval. “You did well,” she said. “You brought him back.”

Julian looked around at his friends, his family, and felt a surge of gratitude. They had faced the darkness and won. For now, they were whole.

As the tension in the room began to ebb, replaced by relief and exhaustion, Omar broke the silence, his voice gruff but tinged with the raw confusion of someone who had seen far too much in one night.

“Okay,” he said, holding up a hand like he was stopping traffic. “I’ve been rolling with all this because of Luca, but someone needs to explain what the hell just happened. Like, what exactly are we dealing with here?”

“Yeah,” Rocky muttered. “Because that was not normal.”

Flaca gestured around the room. “What was all that?!”

Rio, still holding on to Luca, looked up. His expression was guarded but expectant, too. Even he wanted answers.

Julian’s stomach twisted.

He glanced at Yadriel, unsure who should speak.

But then he straightened his spine. It was his lie. His friends. His turn.

He turned to them, heart pounding. “I should’ve told you all sooner. I wanted to. I just … didn’t know how.”

Omar’s frown deepened, but he didn’t interrupt.

Julian swallowed. “Big thing first: I died. Día de Muertos.”

He looked at Yadriel.

Yadriel nodded once and stepped up. “We’re brujx. We have magic—my family, Lita, Maritza. We heal the living and help spirits cross over.”

Julian found his voice again. “They brought me back. Now I can see spirits, which, usually—pretty sweet—except I’ve got a Marca Hueca. A dark spot in my soul that messes with me. Luca had one, too.”

There was a long silence.

Then Rocky said, “What, like … for real? Like, actually dead?”

Julian gave a crooked smile. “Yeah. For real. Dead-dead.”

Omar’s eyes were wide. “And … you just didn’t tell us?”

Julian’s face fell. “I didn’t want to lie. But the brujx—they have rules. Strict ones. And I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone.”

He braced himself for anger. For betrayal. But it didn’t come.

Flaca was the first to speak. “You should’ve told us. But … you’re telling us now.”

Julian nodded. “I didn’t want you to think I was losing it. I didn’t want to scare you. And I didn’t want to put you in danger.”

Rocky snorted. “A little late for that.”

That drew a weak laugh from everyone.

Lita waved a hand dramatically. “Finally. Secrets give me indigestion.”

That pulled a startled laugh from Flaca.