“Mom, the bus leaves in ten minutes,” Hugo said, his deep voice completely unbothered by my presence.

“Yes, let’s go, boys,” Coraline said softly.

She held my eyes a moment longer — not in challenge, only refusing to show me her back until she was ready — then took Atticus’s hand, and the three of them turned toward the doors with an untouchable, unhurried dignity.

“Coraline!” The word tore out of me, ragged and pathetic, and I took two steps with my hand reaching into empty air as if to catch smoke.

Atticus stopped.