mortals, as Daniel promised it would be.

It was agonizing for Luce to accept that she would have to settle for
whispering a few last words to her friend inside the chapel. All she could think to say was you’re with your
father now. I know he is happy to have you back. Daniel would bury Penn properly as soon as the school
calmed down and Luce would show him where Pennis father’s grave was so Penn could be laid to rest at his
side. It was the very least she could do. Her heart was heavy as they crossed the campus. Her jeans and tank
top felt stretched out and dingy. Her fingernails needed a good scrub, and she was glad there were no
mirrors around so she could see what was up with her hair. She wished so much that she could take back the
dark half of the nightócould have saved Penn, most of all while keeping the beautiful parts. The climactic
thrill of piecing Danielis true identity together. The moment he appeared before her in all his glory.
Witnessing Arriane and Gabbe growing their wings. So much of it had been so lovely. So much of it had
resulted in atter, bleak destruction. She could feel it in the atmosphere, like an epidemic. She could read it on
the faces of the many students roaming the commons. It was way too early for any of them to be awake of
their own accord, which meant they must all have heard or seen or felt some of the battle that had taken
pLuce last night. What would they know? Would anyone be looking for Penn yet? For Miss Sophia? What
could any of them possibly think had happened? Everyone was paired up and speaking in hashed whispers.
Luce longed to linger close to them and eavesdrop. Don't worry. Daniel squeezed her hand just imitate any
of the baffled looks on their faces. No one will give as a second thought. Though Luce felt entirely
conspicuous, he was right. None of the other students eyes lingered on the two of them any longer than they
did on anyone else. At the gates of the cemetery, blue and white police lights flashed, reflecting in the leaves
of the oak trees overhead. The entrance had been marked off with yellow hazard tape. Luce saw Randy’s
black silhouette outlined against the sunrise ahead of them. She was pacing before the cemetery’s entrance
and shouting into a Bluetooth clipped to the collar of her shapeless polo shirt. i think you should wake him
up, she yelled into the device. There's been an incident at the school. I keep telling you... I don't know. I
should warn you, Daniel told her as he steered her away from Randy and the blinking lights of the cop cars,
through the oak grove that bordered the cemetery on three sides. It will look strange to you down there.
Cami’s style of warfare is messier than ours. Itis not gory, itis just... different. Luce didn't think much could
alarm her at this point. A few toppled statues certainly weren't going to set her off. They picked their way
through the forest, brittle fall leaves crunching beneath their feet. Luce thought about how, the night before,
these trees had been consumed by the thundering locust-shadow cloud. There was no trace of them now.
Soon, Daniel gestured to a badly bent segment of the cemetery’s wrought iron fence. We can enter there
without being seen. We’ll have to be quick about it. Stepping out from the shelter of the trees, Luce slowly
understood what Daniel meant about the cemetery looking different. They stood at the rim, not far from
Pennis father’s grave at the cast corner, but it was impossible to see more than a few feet in front of them.
The air above the grounds was so murky it might not even have qualified as air. It was thick and gray and
gritty, and Luce had to fan her hands through it just to see in front of her face. She rubbed her fingers
together. is this dust, Daniel said, taking her hand as they walked, He was able to see through it, didn't have
to choke and cough it out of his lungs as Luce did. in war, angels don’t die. But their battles leave this thick
carpet of dust in their wake. what happens to it? not much, besides the fact that it baffles mortals. It will
settle eventually, and then they’ll come out to study it by the carload. There is a crazy scientist in Pasadena
who thinks it comes from UFO. Luce thought with a shudder about the unidentifiable flying black cloud of
insect like objects. That scientist might not be too far off. Pennis father was buried up here, she said,
pointing as they neared his corner of the graveyard. As eerie as the dust was, she was relieved that the
graves, statues, and trees within the cemetery all seemed to have been left standing. She got down on her
knees and wiped away the pelt of dust from the grave she thought belonged to Pennis father. Her shaking
fingers brushed clean the letters that nearly made her weep. STANFORD LOCKWOOD WORLDIS BEST
FATHER The space beside Mr. Lockwood’s grave was bare. Luce stood up and stamped her foot woefully
on the ground, hating that her friend would join him there. Hating that she couldn't even be present to give
Penn a proper memorial. People always talked about Heaven when someone