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Back The Poison Season Save as PDF
Chapters (64)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. Map
  6. Prologue
  7. Chapter One
  8. Chapter Two
  9. Chapter Three
  10. Chapter Four
  11. Chapter Five
  12. Chapter Six
  13. Chapter Seven
  14. Chapter Eight
  15. Chapter Nine
  16. Chapter Ten
  17. Chapter Eleven
  18. Chapter Twelve
  19. Chapter Thirteen
  20. Chapter Fourteen
  21. Chapter Fifteen
  22. Chapter Sixteen
  23. Chapter Seventeen
  24. Chapter Eighteen
  25. Chapter Nineteen
  26. Chapter Twenty
  27. Chapter Twenty-One
  28. Chapter Twenty-Two
  29. Chapter Twenty-Three
  30. Chapter Twenty-Four
  31. Chapter Twenty-Five
  32. Chapter Twenty-Six
  33. Chapter Twenty-Seven
  34. Chapter Twenty-Eight
  35. Chapter Twenty-Nine
  36. Chapter Thirty
  37. Chapter Thirty-One
  38. Chapter Thirty-Two
  39. Chapter Thirty-Three
  40. Chapter Thirty-Four
  41. Chapter Thirty-Five
  42. Chapter Thirty-Six
  43. Chapter Thirty-Seven
  44. Chapter Thirty-Eight
  45. Chapter Thirty-Nine
  46. Chapter Forty
  47. Chapter Forty-One
  48. Chapter Forty-Two
  49. Chapter Forty-Three
  50. Chapter Forty-Four
  51. Chapter Forty-Five
  52. Chapter Forty-Six
  53. Chapter Forty-Seven
  54. Chapter Forty-Eight
  55. Chapter Forty-Nine
  56. Chapter Fifty
  57. Chapter Fifty-One
  58. Chapter Fifty-Two
  59. Chapter Fifty-Three
  60. Chapter Fifty-Four
  61. Chapter Fifty-Five
  62. Chapter Fifty-Six
  63. Chapter Fifty-Seven
  64. Acknowledgments

Leelo let her gaze fall again. Arguing with Ketty wasn’t going to get her anywhere. And as long as she was under her aunt’s watchful eye, she’d never be able to see Jaren. The thought made her feel hollow inside. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled. “I didn’t mean that.”

Ketty snickered. “Of course you did. You’re as naive as my sister, and twice as ungrateful. I suppose I can’t blame you. You are your parents’ daughter.” She strode forward, stopping when her toes were nearly touching Leelo’s. Gripping her chin between her fingers, she tilted Leelo’s face from side to side roughly.

“Whoever he is, I hope he’s worth it,” she said, dropping Leelo’s head and pushing past her. “Get dressed. Your Watcher duty starts in half an hour.”

Chapter Forty-One

Jaren had decided it was time to act. He’d allowed himself to grow weak and pale in the hovel, counting on Leelo to provide for him and keep him safe. But he was never going to be able to get off the island in his current state. Day by day, he ventured a little farther from the cottage, strengthening his legs and learning the geography of the island in the process. Inside, he did crunches and push-ups to get some muscle back into his arms and torso. He made sure to bathe every other day because he found it gave him a schedule, something to look forward to even if Leelo couldn’t come.

As the days began to get shorter, Jaren’s plans took on a new urgency. He’d been gone for weeks now, and he could only imagine what his family was thinking. Surviving, and then being with Leelo, had been overwhelming at the beginning. But now, in the afterglow, he could think more clearly. He had to get back to the mainland.

And he was going to take Leelo with him.

He hadn’t mentioned this new plan to her yet. He knew there was a very good chance she wouldn’t want to go, which was why he’d spent the past few days telling her about how wonderful life on the mainland could be. Leelo loved to listen to his stories, her head on his chest, her fingers drawing circles on his skin. She wanted to know everything about his sisters, what it was like to travel from Tindervale to Bricklebury, and she was fascinated by the idea of a forest that didn’t require anything from its inhabitants but respect for nature.