Page 41 of The Poison Season

Leelo shook her head, trying to understand what could unravel Sage like this. “I was just getting herbs for Mama.”

“No, I mean I thought youleft. Forever.”

Leelo’s breath hitched as she realized what Sage was saying. Her cousin hadn’t seemed worried at all yesterday. She’d just seemed angry, and that was something Leelo expected from her. But Sage had learned how to deal with being hurt the same way her mother did: with anger and resentment, instead of honesty. Leelo should have known better than to assume Sage was siding with a boy she barely knew over her best friend, just because she was late to a shift.

“I’m sorry,” she said, approaching Sage. “I really was gathering herbs. I would never just leave you. You have to know that.”

Sage swiped her tears away bitterly. “I know you love him more than you love me.”

Leelo looked away because while she knew itshouldn’tbe true, it was. She did love her cousin, the way you were supposed to love family: despite their flaws. But unlike Tate, Sage didn’t know how to be vulnerable. She’d sooner die than admit she’d been wrong about something, and Leelo couldn’t remember ever hearing Sage apologize.

Still, she’d always told herself they complemented each other. Together, an optimist and a pessimist could find something like the truth when they met in the middle. “It’s just different with Tate,” she said. “He’s younger than us, and softer. Heneededme, Sage.”

“And I’m so hard and tough that I couldn’t possibly need anyone? Is that what you think?”

“I don’t think that at all,” Leelo said, pulling Sage’s stiff body into her arms for a hug. “I’m truly sorry. I won’t disappear again.” Silently, she prayed the words were true. She would have to somehow search for the boat without drawing Sage’s suspicion. Which meant she was probably not going to be getting much sleep until she did.

Sage eventually softened, turning her face so her lips were against Leelo’s ear. “Did you put the hole in the boat?” she whispered.

Leelo leaned back. “What?”

“I won’t tell, I swear it. I just... I saw the way you looked when the boat was gone. Like you thought maybe something had happened to it. Like maybe youwantedsomething to happen to it.”

She shook her head and pulled Sage into her arms again so she wouldn’t see the fear in Leelo’s eyes. “Of course not. I love Endla. It’s our home.”

Sage sniffed and nodded. “Exactly, Lo. It’sourhome.Ours.And nothing is going to change that.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

When Jaren woke the next morning, he was relieved to discover he could feel his left leg again, even if what he felt was excruciating pain. Leelo’s remedies must have helped. He sat up and reached for the waterskin, rinsing out the sour taste in his mouth, and ate a little of the food she’d brought him. The sweater had kept him warm and the Forest hadn’t tried to eat him while he slept. If he did end up having to stay here for a few days, at least he knew he could survive it.

At midday, Leelo arrived at the cottage. He’d dreamed last night that she had come to kill him, slicing his throat from ear to ear while he slept. He’d woken up in a cold sweat, sure Leelo was in the hut with him, but then the door had opened and it was really her, coming to his aid. The dream had felt so real, but he told himself it was just his fever breaking.

Now, though he wanted to trust her, he peered out the small window for a moment after she arrived, to be sure she was alone. It didn’t make sense for her to heal his leg only to kill him, but maybe this was some part of an Endlan honor code: make sure your prey stands a fighting chance before hunting him down, or something.

“Hello,” he said, opening the door for her.

She propped her bow and arrows against the front of the cottage and nodded. It was a warm day, and her hairline was damp with sweat. “You’re alive. Good.”

He barked a laugh, some of the tension leaving his body. “I’m glad you think so. Is everything all right?”

“I came straight from duty. I can’t stay long. Sage thinks I went to visit a friend, but I don’t like lying to her.”

“I understand.”

“How is your leg feeling?” she asked as she scooted inside the cottage next to him. “Better?”

“I can feel it, which is a vast improvement. Thank you again, for helping me.” He’d thanked her a hundred times already, but he figured she’d be less likely to kill him if he was gracious. He still remembered the way she’d kept her blade close the last time she visited and how it had sliced through his flesh like butter in his dream. Fortunately, her hands were otherwise engaged at the moment, as she rummaged through her pack.

She pulled a full waterskin and some more food out and gave them to him. “I’ll take the empty waterskins and fill them before I go.”

“Is there a water source close to here?” Jaren couldn’t rely solely on Leelo, and having access to water would be reassuring.

She nodded. “There are spring-fed pools nearby.”

“So the poison in the lake doesn’t get into your drinking water?”

Leelo’s eyes flicked up to his. “I suppose it doesn’t.”

---