We came in ones and twos and small groups and leave the same way. There is little discussion, here in the meeting field, but I know cousins. They’ll be talking about and arguing today’s events for weeks to follow.

Odawa stands alone in the center of the meeting field, a tall silent figure. Still and unmoving. The only shifting about his figure is the slight billow of his robes in the breeze. The departing cousins glance at him, but no one tries to engage him in conversation. I’m not interested either. I’m done with him now. I’m done with all of this.

Or almost done, I realize, as I turn to face Raven’s angry Buddha face.

Chloe, Brandon, and the others from the Rookery have already departed, but he’s stayed behind waiting for me—a large, ominous figure, as unmoving as Odawa.

I start to walk by him, into the woods that separate the peninsula from the city, and he falls into step beside me.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I tell him.

“That’s not an option, little jay.”

I glance at him, then shrug.

“So go ahead and talk,” I say, “because I’ve got nothing to say.”

“That fish killed Mira and only you know how many of your other friends and lovers. How could you even propose the thing you did?”

We’re under the trees now. A few of the blackbirds remain, high in the boughs above us, but most of them have flown off now. Back to Stanton Street, maybe, or off to spread the gossip of what they’ve seen today.

Raven takes my arm, and I have no choice but to stop. He’s an immovable force, and the grip he has on my arm almost pulls it from its socket when I try to keep moving. He lets me go when I stop. I refuse to rub my shoulder in front of him, however much it feels like it needs a good massage now.

“I know how you felt about him,” Raven says, “and I certainly know how you felt about Mira. So I need to understand. How could you do this?”

“I’ve learned a few things from my recent association with humans and fairy,” I tell him.

“And what would they be?”

“That we’re not so different, for one. And that our similarities are worth celebrating.”

“What does that have to do with Odawa? Up until ten minutes ago, he was still the enemy. He still murdered your wife and friends.”

“But he wouldn’t be an enemy in Mira’s eyes. Just as the bogans weren’t in Anwatan’s. They could take her life, but they couldn’t take away her pacific beliefs.”

“That’s a cerva philosophy.”

“Does that automatically make it wrong?”

“No. It’s just . . .”