Julius looks at me, but there’s no question in his eyes. Just understanding. Where I go, he goes. I was mainly talking to Bri. The deeper we go, the more the unburnt parts of the forest surround us, its canopy thick overhead. I press between a pair of jpango trees and let my fingers graze their smooth surface. The first time I saw these trees, my father showed them to me. I miss him. I will make him proud. In this, I will.

“There.” Bri points.

Bati’s head turns in that direction. I see it too. Fire. How green can these Macazi be? They can’t have a fire lit out here. Just announce you’re in hiding, why don’t you? We creep that way. Thrum. A knife plants in the bark inches from my face and I freeze.

“Shit!” Julius says.

Energy tingles my fingers. Bri crouches with a yelp.

Whoosh. Another knife whips by, the blade’s tailwind kissing my cheek.

“Who’s there?” someone says.

I know that voice. A face with a bald head peeks from behind a tree, another blade poised to toss.

“It’s me, Rue.”

“Rojala?”

Our eyes lock and she exhales.

“Oh, hey, sorry! Glad you made it back safely.”

“How’s your ankle?” I ask.

“Better. Must have just twisted it. The camp is this way.” She leads us in the opposite direction of the fire. Apparently, it was a decoy. Smart. Maybe I don’t give the Macazi enough credit? It makes sense; they’ve been living in an entire world unseen, belowground. They’d know how to play the game of misdirection. And well.

Where the Macazi are actually holed up is tucked away behind a cluster of trees. Taavi greets us, her eyes smiling. She’s really relieved to see me. She takes one look at Bati and gestures to someone blended in with a brush of leaves. “Get him water and a shaded place to sit,” she says.

“Thank you, child. Careful out there. Remember what I said.” Bati squeezes my hand before hobbling off.

“How’s your mother?” I ask Taavi when she turns back my way. Bri and Jue share a look. What did they think—I was gonna wait to get to it? No, I need answers. Now.

“Good,” Taavi says. “Very good. Thank you.”

“I’m glad,” I say. “I need to see her. Where is she?”

She hesitates a moment, taken aback by the suddenness of my request, I assume.

“This way,” she says. We follow, ducking underneath a tangle of greenery, feeling our way through a thick knot of trees that look like they’ve been hooked together on purpose.

“You really hunkered down well,” I say. “Even had Rojala out scouting.”

“What, are you surprised?” She huffs. “This is our bread and butter.”