By dawn the Lantern Festival was over. Wren walked the rows along the river, pinching out flame after flame. Every paper lantern died at her touch but one. It hung at the water's edge, glowing a steady gold no breeze could shake. When she reached for it, the little wick leaned away from her fingers and tugged its string, like it wanted her to follow.

Wren didn't trust it. She cupped her hand and pinched the wick hard to snuff it. The flame slipped sideways through her fingers without burning her, then flared back up, brighter, almost insulted. Clearly this lantern was not going to be put out.

Wren stepped back, hands up. "Fine. You win." The lantern settled, calm now, and floated a slow circle around her, like a dog deciding she was safe. Then it drifted off toward the old stone bridge and paused, plainly wanting her to come along.

Wren followed the lantern over the bridge to a little shrine she'd forgotten existed. Inside sat an unlit lantern, dusty and old, with a tag that read FOR WHOEVER FINDS THEIR WAY BACK. Her lantern touched its wick to the old one, lighting it, then floated up into the morning sky, free at last. Wren waved goodbye.