It had taken a lot for her to admit to Jaren that she liked him, though she assumed he already knew. Partly she had wanted to get this secret off her chest, and partly she had wanted—had hoped, desperately—to hear him say he liked her, too. When he did, she felt both relieved and alive in a way she’d never felt before. She didn’t know if this was what would be considered courting; she’d never spent enough time with a boy to learn much beyond their peculiar habits and, as they got older, their even more peculiar smells. All she knew was that she went to the cottage feeling nervous or tired or guilty, and she left feeling... She wasn’t sure she could describe it.

But she wanted that feeling now.

Perhaps it was the two small cups of elderberry wine that were making her feel so reckless. She noted that her head seemed pleasantly disconnected from her body and her lips were a little numb. She had made Jaren promise to stay as far away from the festival as possible. Going to him now could compromise his safety—not to mention her own—all for the sake of watching him eat a strawberry. And, if she was being honest, so he could see her in this dress. It almost seemed a waste not to go to him.

If anyone noticed she was gone, they would attribute it to the wine, or the darkness, or how all the children looked the same in the firelight. And by then, it would be too late to stop her.

Leelo might have changed her mind at any point on her way to the cottage, but before she knew it, she had arrived. She stood among the trees for a moment, straightening her hair with her free hand, then slapping her cheeks lightly to clear her head.

She glanced up a moment later to see Jaren standing in the open door of the cottage. It was twilight, and he hadn’t lit his candle yet. The thought of him sitting alone in the dark sent an ache through her, and she was glad she’d come, that at least for a little while, he wouldn’t be alone.

Far away, she could hear the faint singing from the festival. And if she could hear it... Without thinking, she rushed forward, shoving him back into the cottage so hard he tripped over the threshold and landed on his backside in the nest of blankets.

Leelo slammed the door shut behind her and dropped to her knees, grabbing Jaren roughly by the face and turning his head from side to side.

She sighed in relief when she saw the creamy tufts of wool in his ears. Jaren’s mouth quirked in a grin. Suddenly, she realized she was practically on top of him. Flushing furiously, she started to lean back, but Jaren’s hand caught her waist, stopping her.