"Oh..."
She stops in front of a row of tombstones next to a very large tree. Leaving Liam's grasp, I get closer to check them. Most of those names are too old to be read. I keep looking and finally, I see it. It's a small one, with some ivy covering it. It's not old, but the flowers seem to have grown faster on that tombstone. Probably Sylviana's doing.
Mara.
My heart sinks when I read that name. I get down on my knees in front of it and my tears stop miraculously. I take deep breaths, trying to calm myself and ignore the stares behind me.
"Sorry..." I whisper. "Sorry it took me so long to find you."
I put my hand on the tombstone, mostly covered by the moss. My fingers follow the four carved letters. Did Sylviana do this? It would explain all the moss and flowers on it...
"...Are you okay?" gently asks Liam behind me.
I nod, but just as I do, something catches my attention.
Another letter, right under Mara. I didn't realize because moss was covering it. Don't tell me... Her last name? My heart starts beating like crazy. Oh Moon Goddess, maybe this is the answer we were looking for. Is this what Sylviana wanted us to find? Why did she cover it with moss? Maybe she didn’t want us to find it? My breathing accelerates, and the adrenaline starts pumping. I need to know. I need to know now.
With my bare hands, I start scratching the moss furiously, trying to free that name.
"Mara, what are you doing?"
I'm on my knees in front of that tombstone and stubbornly scraping, letting the moss fall to the ground. My heart, Moon Goddess, my heart is going crazy as each letter is revealed.
B.... The first letter is a B. I keep going, hoping. I don't know what, I'm just hoping. The second letter is an L.
I stop, a bit worried. Maybe I shouldn't continue...
No, no, no, I ought to know. This can't be. It just can’t be! I take a deep breath and light my fire, throwing it against that tombstone almost furiously. All the green covering disappears and the answer is right there. I hear them gasp behind me and I'm shocked too. This is definitely not what I had thought I’d find. Not Mara Black, but... Mara... Blue?
I stare at the tombstone for a few seconds, confused. Blue? Not Black, but Blue? This isn't what I had in mind... I turn around, and Liam and Selena look absolutely stunned, mouths open.
"You've got to be kidding me..." mutters Selena.
Liam frowns and turns to her.
"D-do you think it's... possible?"
She remains quiet, obviously shocked. What is going on, who are they thinking about?
Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure Nora's last name was Bluemoon, but... Wait, is this related somehow? I go back to the tombstone and scrape off the moss that didn't burn with my fire earlier, just in case I missed something else. Mara Blue. I mutter it to myself, as if it'd make it more real, or something would happen. I almost want to laugh, because at least, I've got her real name. Not Jones, not Black, but Blue. I can't even say how relieved I am. This tombstone was made by Sylviana, right? This isn't a mistake. She definitely knew her niece's heritage. This is the answer we were looking for.
"We should go see Nora," suddenly declares Selena.
"Why?" I ask, getting up and wiping the dirt off my pants.
Selena hesitates and eventually sighs.
"...She'll explain."
I want to ask more, but next to Selena, Liam nods, making me feel like there's still a lot more I need to know... or be told. He extends his hand for me to take, and I step away from the grave, feeling a bit numb. Before we go, Selena quickly takes a picture of the tombstone with her phone, still frowning. She shakes her head.
"Now that's new," she sighs. "Alright, come on. Let's just go."
Liam grabs my hand and I follow them after another glance at that tombstone. To my surprise, Spark doesn't follow us. He walks up to the tombstone and rubs his back on it before lying down. Is he going to stay here? I don't really need to call him, I know he'll show up again soon when I need him... Maybe this is where he goes anytime he disappears? I mean, this cemetery must be a nice playground for bored magic cats.
We silently get back to the bike; Selena is driving a car, and we follow her back to Nora's house.
The trip back is very different. I hang on tightly to Liam, but for once, I don't really enjoy the ride. My mind is still in that cemetery and that vision of Mara's tombstone haunts me. I have a million questions popping up in my head. I try to list them silently, but I feel like I'm about to learn a lot anyway. If Nephera really was Mara's mother, who is Blue? Who was her father? From their reactions, I feel like Liam and Selena definitely know already, but why did they seem so... shocked? I just hope the answer isn't going to be something worse...
