That evening, Ketty led a sheep by a rope around its neck into the woods. Fiona had insisted on staying home with Tate, despite Ketty’s protests, and Leelo wished she was back there with them, cozy by the fire instead of tromping through the Forest to the slaughter.

“At least try not to look miserable,” Sage said to Leelo as they gathered in the pine grove. Leelo hadn’t been back since she made the blood sacrifice for Tate’s magic. She’d never liked this place. How could she, when it contained the memories of so much suffering? Each family stood at the base of their tree with their offering, a motley assembly of animals, ranging from chickens to a lowing calf.

When they were children, Ketty had insisted that the girls each sacrifice an animal themselves, to fully appreciate their responsibilities as Endlans. In the end, Leelo hadn’t been able to do it, and Sage had been forced to kill both of their rabbits.

Later that night, Leelo had been crying in bed when Sage asked her what was wrong.

“Aunt Ketty said I was too soft for this world, that it would always find a way to break my heart,” Leelo said through her tears. “Do you think that’s true?”

“Of course not,” Sage had assured her. “Mother just doesn’t know you like I do.”

But even now, a part of Leelo knew that Ketty was right. One of the council members led them all in the killing song, and one by one, the head of each household ran a knife along the throat of their sacrifice. Terrified bleats and lows split the night, and Leelo stifled a gag as the iron tang of blood filled the air, pooling at the base of each tree before disappearing into the soil. Once again, Leelo thought she heard the wind rustle through the highest branches, like the sigh of a man satisfied with his meal, and she shuddered before glancing at Sage.

“Which one did Aunt Ketty choose this time?” Leelo asked, watching as the life drained out of the poor sheep.

Sage’s gaze was fierce in the lantern light. “The one that wouldn’t nurse her baby.”

Leelo felt bile rise in her throat. “Why?”

“She wouldn’t even care for her own offspring,” Sage said. “I might not know much about being a mother, but even I can see how wrong that is.”

Leelo swallowed down the bitter taste in her mouth. She couldn’t help thinking of Fiona and Tate, how Ketty wouldn’t stand for a sheep that refused to nurse its baby but was perfectly willing to let Tate be sent away, as innocent as a lamb himself.