As badly as Leelo wanted to get her mother, a part of her was afraid of what they would find when they went. What if Mama didn’t want to come with them? Worse still, what if she hadn’t survived? At least from here Leelo could convince herself that things on Endla were as they’d always been.

Leelo had told Nigel about Ketty poisoning her mother, but she’d kept that and many other things from Tate. She knew one day she’d have to tell him everything, but she didn’t want to add to his heartache. Hers was profound enough for both of them.

“Yes,” Leelo said. “We’ll go as soon as it’s safe to cross.”

Nigel smiled and Sir Percival sighed, tucking his long nose under the edge of Nigel’s blanket.

“What about Story’s friends?” Tate offered. “The other incantu. I bet they miss their families, too.”

Nigel and Leelo shared a glance. Tate was right. If anyone had an interest in uncovering the truth, it was the exiled children of Endla, the ones who had lost everything because of the Wandering Forest.

“I bet Story would be happy to pay Grimm a visit,” Jaren said, and their laughter echoed in the dying light.

They waited two months before they made the journey back to Endla. January was the coldest month, when they could be sure the ice was as solid as possible. Leelo believed the others would be safe from any singing, now that the Forest was gone, but they wore wool in their ears, just in case.

Grimm, the leader of the incantu, had managed to gather up more than twenty to join them. They were children who had been forcibly taken from their parents and thrust into the world alone. As Tate had guessed, they wanted a chance to reunite with their families. And many of them wanted answers.

It had taken a lot of convincing to keep Tate at home with Lupin and Jaren’s sisters, where he would be safe. But Oskar, Stepan, and several other villagers had agreed to come. Leelo stood among them now, gripping Jaren’s hand and praying that whatever they found, Mama was safe.

They crossed the ice silently. Leelo was half-sure the ice would give way beneath them, but they were spread out, and it was a particularly ferocious winter, like the year Nigel had accidentally gone to Endla. The ice held.

As they drew closer, Leelo couldn’t help but notice how desolate the island looked. There were a few remaining trees, some bushes and shrubs, but what stood out starkly against the snow were the cottages. Miraculously, they hadn’t all burned. She could see candles glowing in several windows, and the familiar scent of woodsmoke pluming from the chimneys gave her hope.