Thoughts of bright sunlight faded in the darkness of the forest, but the gentle, happy memories remained. Mina and Paolo had been inseparable during the Festival of Lights. The difference in their ages, which had become a painful, impossible gap for Mina during the last, sad season before her brother left, mattered not at all when making lanterns and dancing through the tiny streets.
‘Mina?’ Lisette looked into her face with concern.
Mina gave her friend a half smile, her eyes sad. ‘I was remembering celebrations from my childhood,’ she said.
Lisette gazed out over Petruchio’s broad brown back. ‘Celebrations can be dark times when someone is missing from them,’ she said softly, and was silent again. Suddenly Mina felt her secret was a terrible burden, keeping her alone amongst the noise
