Page 50 of The Poison Season

He moved a little farther into the Forest and was just about to reach for a branch when he realized this wasn’t a blueberry bush; it was nightshade. Poisonous, even fatal, the small, blue-black berries looked similar to blueberries to the untrained eye. He glanced around him and noticed a patch of amanita toadstools growing nearby, their red-and-white-spotted caps bright against the grass. Fairy houses, Tadpole called them. But they were toxic, too.

Jaren was surrounded by danger, from the bright purple foxglove quivering in the breeze to the diamond-backed snake winding silently through them. He decided he had collected enough and made his way quickly out of the Forest to the clearing, then froze.

Leelo was standing with her back to him, still submerged below the waist. Her hair was so long it was nearly touching the water. She was doing something with her clothing, humming to herself as she worked.

She had the most beautiful voice Jaren had ever heard. Whatever she was singing now was nothing like the Endlan songs he’d heard before. It was, he realized, the song he’d sung for her, but in her wordless, haunting voice, it sounded otherworldly. He took a step forward without realizing it, until he stepped on a branch and froze just as her head whipped around.

She dropped below the surface of the water quickly, but not before he’d caught a glimpse of her face, her blue eyes wide with fright. Her hair had covered her chest, so he’d only caught a flash of bare skin. But saints, it looked like he’d been spying on her.

“I’m sorry,” he said, already turned around and facing away. “I have the blueberries.”

“Just a second.” He heard the water ripple, followed by the rustling of fabric. “All right.”

When he turned back around, she was wearing her still-damp dress. Her hair hung in long, loose waves. They would both need a little more time to dry.

“Here.” He laid his tunic out on the rock next to her and she thanked him, eagerly popping a blueberry into her mouth. He was still shirtless, but she wasn’t blushing, at least.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. Jaren stared out at the Forest, wanting to ask her something, anything, but not knowing where to begin. They had nothing in common, no shared experiences. Her life was confined to this small island, to people who all behaved and thought the way she did.

They reached for the last blueberry at the same time, their fingers brushing. When he looked up at her, her lips were stained purple, in stark contrast to her pale skin.She looks, he thought with a blush of his own,like she’s just been kissed.

“You take it,” Leelo said. “I have plenty more.”

With the blueberries finished and their clothing fairly dry, there was no reason not to go back to the cottage, though Jaren was dreading more time alone in the cramped space. He wished he could go home, where Father would undoubtedly be cooking something delicious and his sisters would tease him for getting lost again. But really, they would all be relieved that he was back.

“Are you okay?” Leelo asked as they walked. She was braiding her hair over one shoulder, and he almost asked her to keep it loose, though that would be wholly inappropriate and frankly rude. He’d once told his twin she should curl her hair like Summer did, and she’d thrown a shoe at him.

He glanced over at Leelo with a shrug instead. “I’m fine. Just homesick, I suppose.”

“I’ve never had the chance to be homes—” Suddenly, Leelo froze.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered.

“I heard something.” She pulled him behind a tree next to her, so focused on listening she probably didn’t realize she was still holding his hand.

Their bodies were pressed close together. The scent of her damp hair made him a little dizzy. After a minute passed, he shifted his weight off his bad leg. When Leelo pressed her hand to his chest to still him, he was sure she’d be able to feel his heart hammering beneath it.

Something moved in the undergrowth, this time loud enough for Jaren to hear. His stomach twisted when he remembered how precarious his situation was. If someone found him, they would kill him, and Leelo would be exiled. He held his breath and closed his eyes.

And opened them at the sound of Leelo laughing.

A porcupine waddled past them, oblivious to their terror.

“Saints,” Jaren breathed. “I thought we’d been caught for sure.”

“So did I.” Leelo seemed to realize she was not only holding Jaren’s hand but also had her other hand pressed to his chest and stepped quickly aside. “Sorry.”

He mumbled something that was supposed to be “no apology necessary” but came out as utter nonsense. Fortunately, she was moving again and didn’t seem to notice.

They stopped outside the cottage. Jaren had hoped she might come in, but the sun was setting now. She bent down and took up the full basket of berries she’d picked earlier.

“You’re all dry now, at least,” he said.

“Thank goodness. Oh, I almost forgot.” She lifted the cloth inside the basket and poked around underneath, removing a little parcel. “It’s not much, but it should last you until I can bring more food again.”

“Thank you. For everything.”

She nodded and glanced over her shoulder. He could tell she needed to go, but something was stopping her.

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