Chapter 47

Xavier stepped out of the SUV into darkness.

It was easy to forget, sometimes, how dark real darkness was, away from light pollution. It made you feel so alone, so small - but not in an intimidating way. It was a reminder that you were only a tiny speck in the universe. And to Xavier, it had also been a reminder of how many mysteries and adventures still existed out there, just waiting for him.

He let himself gaze up at the sky for a moment, staring at the heavy dusting of stars. The night view in the Caribbean last month had been stunning, but this was different. The cool, crisp air made the stars seem brighter. Closer, even.

He didn't know enough about astronomy to say if Equuleus was up there. He'd never really cared about learning the constellations. For him, it was enough to just look and feel that wonder.

After a moment, though, he reminded himself that he had work to do. He flicked on the headlamp and pulled Rinaldi's clue out of his pocket, quickly scanning the words once m