On Tuesday, most of the tourists had packed up and left Gothic’s spare rooms and bed-and-breakfasts and returned to their homes with eye-popping tales of the most exciting festival they’d ever attended. Only a few hardy folk lingered to take the jeep tours, buy last-minute souvenirs and the remaining sensational copies of the Gothic Times with its Justin Scharphorn byline.

On Wednesday, in the Gothic cemetery, the entire town attended a tragic graveside service for Bradley Lindholm, and they cried. They cried for the loss of his young life, for his mother’s grief, his lover’s long years of sorrow and his daughter who had never known her father. That was a difficult day, one that would never be forgotten.

On Thursday, Adam Ramsdell and Elladora Varela were married under the oak tree behind the Live Oak restaurant. Elle’s stepfather had flown from Peru to give her away. Elle wore one of Angelica Lindholm’s own courturier dresses that Angelica herself had worked feverishly to alter.

Again, the entire town attended, and this time, everyone rejoiced both at the union and at the reception catered by Señor Alfonso and Ludwig. The high-school kids from across the area served as Live Oak Restaurant staff. Tamalyn proved to be a strong leader, and Angelica began to eye her in a new you-could-train-as-an-assistant way.

On Friday, Adam and Elle took a helicopter to the Arcturus to witness the moment when, because of Elle’s find, the remote crawler brought up the first Moche artifacts from the depths of the ocean. Film crews broadcast the moment all over the world. Elle and her family were famous for approximately fifteen minutes, which was as long as they wished it to last.

Everyone in Gothic watched and celebrated.

Adam had the now-cleaned and newly polished sword delivered to Madame Rune’s Psychic Readings and Bookshop as a talking point for the tourists who would come to see any relic of the now-famous battle between Crazy John Hammer and Adam Ramsdell.

On Saturday morning, when Rune entered the Live Oak, she fluttered her fingers at everyone in the restaurant. Locals, all of them, looking weary and satisfied and ready for a long rehash of the events of the past two weeks.

They had plenty to talk about.

Angelica Lindholm sat with Mr. Kulshan, discussing his arthritic feet.

She appeared pale and still sad.

He looked ruddy and annoyed.

Clarice was the only person who was not strictly a local...but Rune suspected that, after her ordeal, she had confirmed her status as a lost soul and, in between roles, would soon take up permanent residence. For now, she sat, arm in a cast and sling, alone with her script. She cast Rune a smiling glance, then returned to work.

Señor Alfonso stepped out of the kitchen.

Ludwig appeared at Rune’s elbow.

Rune looked up, expecting to hear a recitation of today’s menu.