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I turned in the opposite direction and let the shadows fall over me, but their darkness offered no relief They only offered ato disappear into—a moment in time—and I wondered if Nathan had found his o His own shadow

And I wondered if it felt as empty as mine

Chapter Twenty-Six

Monroe

It was close to ht when I finally parked the Matlock in Grao, and the tehtning cut across the sky, but the rain reainst the windshield

“Where are you, Nathan?” I asked the darkness, but of course there was no answer

It felt like I had driven up and down every freaking street in Twin Oaks and then I’d headed to the drive-in, but there was no bush party tonight I’d even swung by Baker’s Landing, hoping that ain it was quiet, with only the swans in the pond to greet me

I was trying to be strong Trying not to beinsane I don’t even knohy I bothered co to be able to sleep or anything—but I’d called her and told her I’d be hoo? I didn’t knohere else to look

I slipped out of the car and trudged toward the porch but paused, one foot on the bottom step, head to the sky as the rain slid over my cheeks Somewhere in the darkness, I heard an owl The sound was so lonely and sad So freaking appropriate

What was I doing? There was no way I could sleep

I took a step back and then walked around the house In the distance, the shadoere thicker, and e crypt where the family bones were buried

Fireflies danced around the edge of the ce between the raindrops, only to disappear in a flash And there just beyond the maze…the maze

Oh my God, the maze!

I ran like a crazy person, nearly falling when zagged through the familiar path and stopped in the center Our center

It was darker in here, the shadows falling froe even thicker than outside, and with the rain sliding across ht it was empty