Rachael stiffened. It was more a shift of her body, but Rio was so in tune with her he felt her slight withdrawal. She averted her face and looked upward at the feathery foliage, the bright red fungi and fruit draping heavily on the tree. Antlerlike fungi and cups of brilliant color covered the trunks. Large mushrooms grew around the bases and made fields of large caps inside the buttress roots.

“The humidity in Florida isn’t as intense, but it can be oppressive to some people. It doesn’t rain nearly as much either.”

“Did he go into the swamp, Rachael?” He kept his tone low, gentle even. Rachael wasn’t a woman to be pushed. She trusted him with her life, but she didn’t trust him with her brother’s life. He couldn’t push her too hard. She’d walk away first.

“My brother is a long way away from here, Rio. I don’t want any part of him here, not even his spirit. Don’t bring him into this place.”

Temper rode him hard and he was silent as he walked quickly through the patches of light and dark, heading deeper into the forest. It took him a few minutes to work it out. “You don’t want him in our place. My place. You don’t want him anywhere near me.”

“He doesn’t belong here, Rio. Not at all, not with us.” Rachael looked down at the splint on her wrist. She probably didn’t belong with Rio either. She’d been lucky enough to meet him, but she didn’t want him in danger.

“Sometimes, sestrilla I feel like I’m trying to hold water in my hand. You flow right through my fingers.”

Rachael looked at him with her dark, liquid eyes. Sad eyes. “I can’t give you what it is you want.”

“Before my father died, Rachael, he asked my mother to promise him that she’d take me and leave the village. He wanted her to find another man so she wouldn’t have to raise me alone. A man or woman who lost their mate would never choose another husband or wife from our people. My father talked to my mother more than once but she didn’t want to live with another man. She stayed near the village.”

“Why wouldn’t the others want to take care of her and you too? If there aren’t very many of you, surely they would want to make certain you were well taken care of?” She sounded outraged all over again. “I don’t think I like your elders very much.”