“What’s wrong?” Scarlet whispered.

I wiped at my eyes, keeping my back to her. I was so afraid she’d see something in my eyes. “Nothing. Just thinking. About everything, I guess.”

“I know. It’s been a lot.”

“I really love you, Scarlet. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” I reached behind me, hand grasping in the darkness for hers.

She found it and held me. My sister. I felt like I needed to ask for her forgiveness, but if I did, it would mean confessing, and I couldn’t do that. Not yet.

“I love you, too. And so does Mother, and Aunt Jovana, and Uncle Reid. And even Etan. He loves you, too.”

“I know.” I sniffed, wiping at my nose.

She was quiet for a moment. “I don’t think you do.”

It took a few beats of my heart to understand the full intent of her words.

My eyes widened. I sat up, turning over to look at her. “Scarlet Eastoffe . . . what do you know?”

She sighed, pushing herself up. “I know Etan hasn’t really smiled in years, but you make him laugh. I know he doesn’t take ladies’ favors because he never wants his wins to be shared, but he took yours. I know he doesn’t like to admit when he’s wrong, but he concedes to you. And I know he has never, ever looked at anyone the way he looks at you. Hollis, for a while now he’s seemed like he was walking around asleep . . . he’s different now that you’re here.”

“Really?” I breathed.

She nodded. “He lights up for you.”

I swallowed. I didn’t know if I could rightfully take credit for any positive change in him, but I wanted to. I wanted it all to belong to me.

“Maybe you’re right, Scarlet, but it doesn’t matter. He has no interest in settling down. He’s flirting. Like with the gaggle of girls falling upon him at the feast tonight.”

“Do I detect a hint of jealousy?”

“No!” I replied too quickly. “But let’s be honest here. He said himself he doesn’t want to marry. And if he ever did, it would certainly be with a girl from Isolte, not me. And if all of that wasn’t true, I couldn’t be with him anyway.”

She frowned at me. “Why not?”

I looked away. “Silas.”

She grabbed my arm, forcing me to look at her, her tone almost angry when she spoke. “Do you think Mother held you down in the garden so you could live as if you had died along with him? Do you think we tried to leave you in Coroa so you’d wallow in his death? Have you learned nothing from all that we’ve told you about our lives?”

I sat there, stunned. She continued.

“You’ve seen how we work. When one plan went wrong, we made another. When we couldn’t do one thing, we found new hopes. When we couldn’t stay in Isolte, we made a new home.