Homecoming shadows

Mishka stood on the familiar doorstep of her childhood home, her heart pounding. The Moonstone Key was safely hidden away, but its weight still seemed to pull at her pocket. She took a deep breath and rang the doorbell.

The door flew open almost instantly. "Mishka!" Her father enveloped her in a crushing hug before she could even speak. "Thank God you're alright. We've been so worried.”

As they stepped inside, Mishka caught sight of her grandmother Myrtle watching from the living room, her expression a mix of relief and suspicion. Mishka steeled herself for the conversation ahead.

"Where have you been?" her father asked, his voice trembling slightly. "When we heard about the explosion at Bruce's mansion, and then you didn't answer your phone..."