“I do hope you’ll visit us again,” Maman told Yenni as Genevieve served dessert—a summerberry pie with the crust so perfectly browned it reaffirmed Weysh’s decision to see Montpierre’s Healer Veronique as soon as possible.

“It would be my pleasure,” she said, and Weysh could tell her smile was genuine.

They were almost done with dessert when Weysh realized he’d seen no sign of Sylvie. Her pie was getting cold.

“Maman, Sylvie’s been gone a while,” he said.

She blinked. “Oh! Yes, where has that girl gotten to, I wonder?”

Weysh had a bad feeling. “I’ll go find her,” he said. He felt a slight pang of guilt for leaving Yenni alone with his parents, but she could more than handle herself.

“Sylvie?” he called, making his way toward the main staircase. “Sylvie?”

As he paused on the first landing he heard sniffling. The landing gave way to a small powder room, and the door was slightly ajar. Through it he saw Sylvie standing in front of the looking glass, dabbing at her eyes. Frowning, he pushed the door open.

“Sylvie?”

She spun around. “Weysh!”

“What’s wrong? Who do I need to roast?”

“You weren’t supposed to see me,” she said, her voice wavering.

Weysh crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow as if to say Out with it.

But Sylvie shook her head. “Today is going so well. Even Papa is being good. I didn’t want to ruin it. I’m so happy for you, Weysh, happy you’ve found your Given, but—” Fat tears started rolling down her cheeks again.

“But?”

“You’ll definitely follow her to the Islands.”

“Sylvie, as I told Montpierre, I have no plans to leave—”

“Oh, don’t give me that!” she cried. “Yenni Ajani is incredible. The way she talks, and eats, even the way she moves! She’s like a princess or something! I can’t see you convincing her to stay here, and I can’t see you letting her go without you.”

“If we were to move to the Moonrise Isles,” said Weysh slowly, “what’s to stop you from coming with us, even for just a while?”

“And leave Maman alone?”

“She’s not alone, she has Montpierre.”

“Papa is dy—” Her voice hitched and she broke down into gasping sobs.

Weysh’s heart just about broke as he wrapped his arms around her. “Byen, Sylvie,” he whispered against the top of her head. “You’ve been under a lot of stress lately, en?”

“I know I’m being selfish, but I can’t help it,” she whispered.

“No,” said Weysh. “I haven’t been here for you like I should. I can only imagine what you must be going through.”

“Weysh, are you sad that Papa is sick?”