“I told I’m fine,” Mo said. Now that Ash had been taken care of, Mo promised herself she wouldn’t expend any more energy thinking about her. They’d done what they needed to do. She needed to focus all her attention on Nate’s rehabilitation. “How’s Nate doing?” she asked Vic.

“Same. Sitting there, staring into space like a zombie,” Vic said gruffly. He was still holding a grudge, still pissed that Nate planned to leave. It would take time to heal these wounds, but Mo had faith it would happen.

She understood that it wasn’t a done deal. This would
be her most significant test yet—determining if Nate could be trusted again or… she hated thinking about the alternative. She didn’t want to lose Nate, but if he wasn’t willing to accept the Tribe’s rules now that Ash was gone, they would have to reassess his place in this family. She stubbed out her cigarette and headed toward Nate’s tent. Vic stood guard outside.

“I think I’ll have a chat with Nate,” Mo said.

Vic blocked her path. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Vic said.

“Don’t be silly. Nate and I are overdue for a little heart-to-heart,” she said. “Go ahead and gather the others.”

Vic opened the flap of the tent and obediently stepped aside. Mo slipped into the tent. Nate sat hunched in the corner, his hands bound, his face puffy and bloodstained. A strange sense of déjà vu came over her. She told herself that was silly. Nate wasn’t Leslie. He was special. Worthy of her mercy. She handed him a bottle of water and a towel.

“For you. To clean up,” she said. Nate ignored her kind gesture, refusing to take the items. “Nathaniel, don’t be petulant.”

“Is she dead?” he asked numbly, resisting the peace offering she brought. “Is Ash dead?”

Mo sighed, and set the water and cloth down beside him. “I don’t know, and I don’t care. Neither should you.”

Nate didn’t respond, gazing vacantly into the distance.

“Ash was a liability. Leslie and Eli too. We’re stronger without them. I need you to see that.”

He gazed off into the distance. “I care about you, Nathaniel, and don’t want to lose you. The thing is I’m facing a lot of opposition from the others. They aren’t happy you brought Ash here. Or that you were going to leave us without a second thought. They aren’t happy that I want you to have a second chance.”

“Ash is good… and smart… and she loves me.”

“If she loved you, she never would have tried to steal you away. Or threatened to tell the cops. That’s not love, Nathaniel. That’s not what you do to your family.”