Ignoring the voices and chatters was impossible. People were flooding in and out quietly. Dropping their flowers and saying their prayers for a deceased Vince.

Father organized a little wake for Vince.

I was sitting in one of the pews at a corner of the hall. Away from the attention. Away from the greetings. Away from the suffocating formality that I was supposed to carry out as a Luna. Aunt Vanessa was filling in for me. Doing both her duties and mine.

I couldn't afford to stand there. My ...