“Aye, thank you.I thought so me self.”Murphy puffed out his chest.
"What about the starlight potion?"Uma asked quietly."Was that wrong of us to make?"
"The starlight potion.What a perfect name for such a creation.”The Goddess of Death said reverently, “It is, my dear, what we call a beautifully tragic truth serum.Originally created by angels, to help them see the true nature of souls."
"It's incredibly dangerous in the wrong hands," the Goddess added."But in yours, it saved the day."
"We'll be keeping any remaining potion with us," the Goddess of Death explained."But you should be proud.You helped deliver justice to someone who truly deserved it."
The Goddess stood, brushing crumbs from her jeans."Now then, I believe there's a Ghost Prom that needs attending."
"Go," the Goddess of Death added with an affectionate shooing gesture."Have fun with your ghostly friends.You've all earned it."
As the four made their way back toward the sacred grove, they could already hear celebration beginning anew, complete with spirits experiencing one last night of glorious, corporeal party magic.
Chapter 24
Dance Like Nobody's Dead
The sounds of legendary rock and roll filled the night air which seemed to make the very leaves dance.Solid ghosts swayed and spun across the forest floor, their corporeal forms glowing with the joy of being able to truly feel once again.
High above the celebration, the Goddess floated in her signature crystal bubble, with the Goddess of Death perched beside her as they watched the festivities unfold below like divine theater critics reviewing a particularly entertaining show.
Their perspective allowed them to appreciate both the individual moments of joy and the larger pattern of connection that was weaving itself through the gathering.Each dance, each laugh, each moment of wonder contributed to something greater than the sum of its parts.
On the makeshift dance floor, couples moved together in rhythm and time.Roam held Honey close as they swayed to the gentle crooning of a slow song, content as she rested her head against his shoulder.Nearby, Colin spun Gloria gracefully, both of them laughing with the pure delight of being together.
The sight of living couples dancing alongside the departed created a tableau that spoke to the enduring nature of love, its ability to bridge not just distance and time but even the ultimate boundary of death.
At the edge of the dancing area, Dr.Clive Wimpleton held Lily McBride in his arms, her beauty made even more radiant by the temporary solidity the Ghost Draught vapor had granted her.They moved together as if they'd never been separated by death, Cona sitting nearby with his tail wagging softly at the sight of his beloved humans reunited.
Their reunion embodied everything the convention was meant to celebrate—the continuation of bonds that death could not break, the joy of connection that overcame physical limitations.
But it was Uma and Sean who drew the goddesses' attention most keenly.They danced together with a chemistry that was obvious to everyone except themselves, Sean's protective instincts and Uma's fierce independence somehow perfectly complementing each other as they moved to the music.
The development of their relationship had provided entertainment throughout the evening, with both divine observers noting the way they orbited each other with increasing attraction while remaining oblivious to their mutual interest.
As the song ended, Sean cleared his throat, his usual confidence replaced by the kind of awkward vulnerability that made Uma's heart flutter unexpectedly.
"Uma," he began, then stopped, running his hand through his hair in a gesture that revealed more nervousness than he'd shown facing down dimensional crises."I...well, that is...I wish I could stay."
"Stay?"Uma asked, though her pulse quickened at the possibility.
The hope in her voice was barely concealed, revealing feelings she'd been trying to keep professional throughout their brief but intense acquaintance.
"Aye," Sean said, his Irish accent growing thicker with emotion."I wish I could take ye on a proper date, get to know ye better without all the chaos getting in the way.But I'll be getting my next assignment soon, and..."
He trailed off, looking genuinely regretful, and Uma felt her heart swell with something that might have been hope mixed with disappointment.
"I feel the same way," she said softly, surprising herself with her boldness."Where are you off to next?"
Her admission created a moment of shared vulnerability that transformed their friendship into something more significant.
"I'm not sure," Sean admitted."I haven't gotten my assignment yet, but usually they send me wherever there's trouble brewing or ghosts stirring in the world."
High above them, the Goddess turned to her sister with obvious exasperation that would have been familiar to anyone who had ever watched siblings argue about fairness.
"Are you really going to let that happen?"she demanded, gesturing at the couple below."Make him leave without taking her on a proper date?Give the boy some time off for once!He's been working non-stop for decades!"
