❝you know, you're pretty cute, considering you're 4,000 years old.❞
❝thank you?❞
luna clair loves museums. she loves history, mythology, all that old shit. so when her best friend's dad gets a new job as the night guard of the new york national hist...
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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
❝With freedom, flowers, books, and the moon, who could not be happy?❞
Oscar Wilde
✦✧✦
Ahkmenrah's beaming as he walks toward his parents, tablet in one hand and Luna's hand in the other, and Shepseheret places a hand on his cheek, smiling. "Well done, my child."
Merenkahre's expression is unreadable as he stares hard at Luna, but she doesn't turn away. Finally he says, his voice almost trembling, "Thank you for bringing our son back to us."
There's so much hidden in his words, and Luna can only nod in understanding. She knows exactly how he feels. To lose Ahkmenrah... She can't even imagine it.
"Mother, you would've laughed to see it," Ahkmenrah says animatedly. "There were lions chasing us and--and we met two actors, erm, and--Luna, wasn't that the man from Les Misérables?"
Luna cannot describe how desperately she wants to kiss him right now. But she just nods, smiling so widely her face feels as though it might burst.
"And then this mythical knight's nose sort of melted..."
Ahkmenrah's words fade into the background as Luna looks around and sees Teddy and Sacagawea's grave faces. Her smile fades too. "What--what's going on?"
"Lawrence, dear lady--a word," says Teddy, and the expression on his face worries Luna.
She squeezes Ahkmenrah's hand and then hurries down the steps to join them. "What's wrong? You all seem...sad."
"The others and I have been talking," says Teddy, gesturing to Sacagawea, Attila, Jed, and Octavius.
"Ahkmenrah's place is here with his family," Octavius continues sadly. "He must remain here."
Luna looks up at Ahkmenrah, standing there, still chatting animatedly with his mother, and her heart sinks. This is what she was afraid of all along. But if he wants to stay here, then--
"And the tablet should stay here as well," Teddy adds solemnly.
"This is where it belongs, Gigantor." Jed shakes his head, staring at his boots.
"Yeah, but it--" Larry tries, then pauses. Starts again. "That means you guys would have to stay."
Luna doesn't say anything. She doesn't really have words. Of course it would be this way, that just when she's finally made sure that nothing stands between her and the love of her life, a roadblock has to come between them.
