With a loud meow, Kalma scampers off between the trees. Limping, I follow, better able to keep up with the cat who keeps doubling back to check on me.

It seems like half of forever before we get to a narrow stream, and I pause to cup the water in my hand. It’s flowing and clear and cool, and I don’t care. I’m so thirsty I down mouthful after mouthful of earthy water.

“Taika?”

I shoot to my feet and choke back a sob. There, standing amid a crowd of concerned and confused-looking teenagers is Emmi. I almost didn’t recognize her dressed in regular hiking clothes instead of her usual Elizabethan theater getup.

“What on earth are you doing here?” Emmi rushes toward me right as my legs give out.

She sits me on a log and wraps her woolen scarf around my shoulders. Kalma purrs and preens, looking very pleased with herself.

“Bring me water.” Emmi snaps her fingers, and one of the students offers me a bottle.

I empty it in a few quick swallows.

“All right, back to camp with you,” Emmi says. “Nothing to see here.”

The students grudgingly edge away, casting curious glances over their shoulders. Luckily, Emmi has a strict no-technology policy on her camping trips otherwise my blundering arrival would probably end up a meme.

“Where am I?” I ask, now that I’ve got my breath back.

“You’re in Repovesi. How in the world did you get here? You’ve been missing for days!”

Days! Toivo was right. Time must move differently beyond the stones. The camping trip—I’d completely forgotten. Which means it’s almost Kekri.

“Are they looking for me?” I ask. “Mom, I mean. Is she mad?”

“Looking for you? Taika, your parents are beside themselves. You and Toivo both missing. It’s been utter chaos—” Emmi realizes what she’s said and bites her lip. “I offered to help, but I was already committed to this trip. But now I’ve found you! We have to call your mom. I’ll drive you back to school myself.”

After having explained the situation to the other teachers on the trip, Emmi ushers me to her car. She grabs a pack of chips, empty water bottle, and some books off the passenger seat and tosses them into the back, shoving the books beneath what look like muddy robes. Kalma curls up on the mess in the back seat and I slip into the front.

“Sorry, I wasn’t expecting passengers. The others came up by bus from Helsinki,” Emmi says as if I care. “You look famished. Here.” Emmi hands me a granola bar and I demolish it in four bites.