He ducked back down, scanning the woods, and noticed his tunic was just a few feet away. Still here, fortunately, but definitely not where he’d left it. It had to have been the wind, he told himself, or a curious animal. But everything was quiet and still, and he had the distinct feeling he was being watched.

He climbed out of the pool and dressed as quickly as he could with his skin still damp. Just as he was tying the laces on his boots, he saw something move in the bushes.

There. A face. Pale skin and freckles, yellow-green eyes that could have belonged to a wildcat as easily as a girl. She disappeared a moment later, silently. And Jaren knew that whoever she was, she had wanted him to know she was watching.

Chapter Forty-Four

When Leelo stepped into the house, she was relieved to see Sage peeling vegetables at the sink while Ketty cooked. Fiona had fallen asleep in an armchair.

“Where have you been?” Ketty demanded. “You’ve been gone for hours. I thought I made myself clear.”

“I was with Isola,” Leelo said, her eyes darting to Sage. But her cousin didn’t look at her.

She went to her mother and knelt down, pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. She didn’t have a fever, but her skin was sallow and dull. It didn’t make sense. She had been fine last week. What could have changed since then to make her so ill?

Fiona’s eyes fluttered open. “Oh, Leelo. How are you, dear one?”

Leelo sat on the arm of the chair, careful not to bump her mother. “I’m fine, Mama. Are you all right? You don’t look well.”

“It’s just another bad spell. It will pass, as it always does.”

“You’re not singing enough,” Ketty said over her shoulder. “You always get sicker when you don’t sing.”

Fiona ignored her sister and stroked Leelo’s cheek with the back of her hand. “You look so beautiful, so grown.”

Leelo smothered a shy smile. She felt different, but she couldn’t imagine she looked like anything other than her old self. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well, I do.” Fiona gestured that she wanted to get up, and Leelo helped steady her. “Come upstairs with me. I have something I want to show you.”

In classic Sage fashion, she chose that moment to chime in. “Dinner will be ready soon.”

“We won’t be long,” Fiona said. “Help me up the stairs, darling.”