By the time they started moving, night had settled over Endla like a stifling blanket. Leelo didn’t seem to be suffering from the same looming dread Jaren felt. She had taken charge the moment they arrived, directing Jaren and Fiona to the same end of the boat, since he was the strongest and she was the weakest. He tried not to let his fear show on his face as he strained under the weight, supporting it as much as he could to spare Fiona.

It took them nearly an hour to get the boat to the beach. Several times they froze at some sound in the woods, and Jaren could feel the trees around them listening, a phantom breeze ruffling the leaves as they communicated with each other. He would be allowed to leave, he told himself. He was an outsider, and frankly it was a miracle the Forest hadn’t already tried to harm him in some way.

When they finally reached the shore, they set the boat down, the girls collapsing in exhaustion while Jaren tied the end of the rope around a rock. The wind had picked up, buffeting all of them. There was no time to lose, but as Jaren helped Leelo to her feet, he was unable to hide his despair.

Isola must have seen the look in his eyes, because she said a quick farewell before stepping away. “Thank you for helping us,” he said to her.

When he turned to Fiona, she smiled in a way that told him she wished things could be different. He smiled back, and for a moment, her expression faltered.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“It’s nothing. You just seem so familiar to me.” She cocked her head, studying him.

Leelo laughed a little, embarrassed, and took Jaren’s hand. “Mama, you don’t know him. I promise. Can you give us one minute?”

Fiona and Isola stepped into the Forest while Leelo and Jaren pushed the boat toward the water, choppy from the wind coming off the mainland. Perhaps the Forest was still afraid one of its daughters would try to escape, Jaren thought as his skin erupted in goose bumps.

As he turned to Leelo, knowing what he was about to do, he told himself not to think about the Forest or the island or the lake. He was going home finally, to hug his family and sleep in his own bed and eat something other than stale bread or bitter berries.

But now, as he took Leelo’s hands, so small yet so capable, he almost couldn’t remember why he’d ever wanted to leave at all. He wished he’d taken the time to prepare his goodbyes, because now he found himself at a loss for words. Then again, what could possibly encompass everything he felt for her? How could he say goodbye to this girl who meant so much to him, to the girl who had somehow become his home?