#Chapter 62: Ashes to Ashes

Raven The box was heavier than I expected. The ashes inside seemed to weigh more than my father ever did in life, and the idea of him reduced to this—just powder and bone fragments—made my throat tighten. I swallowed hard as I held the urn against my chest, my hands trembling. The nurse who handed it to me had said something kind, I think. I couldn’t even remember. My ears were ringing too loudly, my thoughts too tangled to focus on anything that anyone said today. All I could think about was my father and that note from Neil. I wanted to go after Neil. And a stupid, crazy part of me was planning on it, even if I knew it could very well result in my death. But I had to do it. I just… had to handle some things here first. The cab ride to my father’s house was suffocatingly silent. Every bump in the road made the urn shift in my arms, and every shift reminded me of what I was holding. I kept my eyes fixed on the window, staring at the familiar streets