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"Hello," I began "You don’t know me, but--"

A woman who appeared to be in her late twenties caal, yet her eyes were ri, I answered automatically "In the back of the van"

The woroup They moved forward as one, all six of them As I watched, they opened the van and quietly removed Vinca fro females, and disappeared into the forest I turned to the head fe her home," she said "I am Astrid, Vinca’s mother"

She offered ently "I’m Sabina Vinca was my friend"

The woreen eyes searched mine for a moment She opened her mouth, no doubt to ask any of a ht better of it and closed her Cupid’s-bow lips

"Where are they taking her?" I asked

"To prepare her for the rites Cohters will show you to your room"

I wanted to ask more questions How had she known to expect me? Did she kno Vinca died? Those and a h my head like butterflies Yet I was bone tired The sun had risen a couple of hours earlier and I was alht only in s me down There would be time to discuss the hows and whys later

I nodded and followed the fresh-faced nymph who came forward to showa path of packed earth The smells of the forest surrounded us--s The others followed at a slower pace, their whispers so low I couldn’t make out their words

Soon a house loomed ahead Unlike Briallen’s modest cabin in Muir Woods, this place rose two stories and I lost track counting the rounded s that glinted in the h the trees The structure itself rese rooflines and smooth stucco walls

My room sat on the second floor under low eaves A sireen quilt sat under a sirl didn’t speak much as she covered the ith a blanket She opened a door to show me the bathroom and where to find fresh towels "My ht at sundown In the , my rooone I collapsed on the bed, wondering if I’d entered some kind of bizarre fairy tale A fewme from my half-sleep I ran a hand over my face and sat up I needed to call Ada His voice sounded as tired as I felt "Lazarus"

"Ada okay? How’d they take the news?"

"That’s the weird part," I said "They see"

"That wouldn’t surprise me Nymphs have extremely developed intuition, especially when it coht briefly about Vinca’s attempts at prophecy with a sad smile "That must be it," I said "Anyway, I’ements under way Astrid, Vinca’s ht"

"I’ll be there by toh carried over the lines "As good as can be expected given the circumstances The families of the dead have been notified"

"I’m sorry you lost so many," I said

"I’m just thankful ill be able to bury theed at his praise "If it wasn’t for me, you’d have been able to save them"

"Stop it," he said "You are the reason we found thein with" I heard a muted voice on the other end, as if someone had interrupted Adam He told the person he’d be there in a o , so we can argue about thisup, Iunder the covers I didn’t hear any sounds in the house as I drifted into a blessedly dreaht, Adam and I followed the procession fro redwoods Vinca’s six brothers carried her body on a litter arlands of dried flowers and herbs They’d dressed her in flowing gowns of lavender gossamer and placed a crown of purple dried heather on her head

When we’d reached the site, we gathered in a circle I’d never been to a funeral,back Ada presence

We watched as the brothers dug a pit in the earth at the base of the tallest tree The fee I didn’t know The sound of their sweet, high voices singing songs of loss sent shivers through me

Once the body had been covered, the rest fell back, offering Adam and me a chance to pay our respects Ada beside the s to intrude on the privateon his cheeks Hefor two days How does one say good-bye to a friend? I’d never known anyone who died while I watched Well, not anyone I cared about And didn’t kill Until now, death was a business, not a life-changing experience Never had a loss cut so deep I worried I ht bleed from the pain

I moved forward slowly, my eyes focused on the small mound I felt disconnected from my body as I knelt My hands reached out to touch the cold soil, as if needing to verify this was all really happening I couldn’t speak over the luret in my throat I whispered the words in ret and longing, of farewell and friendship

When I finished, Adam helped me to my feet Astrid came forward, her face set in a mask of sorrow and resolve