Page 92 of The Poison Season

“Ana believed as much. She was sure that the person had shoved you across the ice to safety when they went in.”

Jaren didn’t know why his birth mother had been leaving Endla, although after everything he’d witnessed, he could guess. And if it had happened once, maybe it had happened again. There could be others like him, Endlans living among outsiders with no idea who they really were.

“Ana and Klaus cared for you as best they could, but they already had five children of their own to look after. Klaus knew we had one daughter, Summer, and a brand-new baby girl, Story. Her delivery was a difficult one, and your mother wasn’t sure if she’d be able to have more children. But we had always wanted a son. So Klaus came to Tindervale with you and asked if we would adopt you. Your mother was nursing you alongside Story before I could even respond.”

Jaren smiled at that. They may not have shared a womb, but they were still twins. Nothing would change that.

“Did you know about Lake Luma, about the Endlans?” he asked. “Did you suspect that I could have magic?” For the first time, he didn’t trip over the word. How could he deny it anymore when he’dfeltit? When he and Leelo sang together, they were no longer separate entities. They were one. He’d never felt so whole and right. He only wished his happiness hadn’t come at Leelo’s expense. He knew she wanted to be with him, but she had never planned to leave her mother behind.

“We assumed you were one of their voiceless children, the incantu. Why else would your parents be taking you away?”

He’d been an infant. It would have been far too soon to tell if he was incantu. But his father couldn’t have known that. “They didn’t want me to grow up on Endla. That’s all we can know for certain.”

Stepan nodded slowly. “I suppose you must be right. I’m so sorry. If I’d known, I never would have moved here.” He hung his head, looking so sad Jaren thought his own heart might break.

“It doesn’t change anything,” Jaren said finally. “I’m still your son. My sisters are still my sisters. And my birth parents were right: I didn’t belong on Endla.”

“But what about the girl, Leelo?”

“She didn’t belong there, either. I don’t think anyone truly does.”

A moment later, the girls emerged from the bedroom. Leelo was clad in a russet dress of Sofia’s, who was shorter than Leelo but nearly the same size. Her hair was loose with a few scattered braids throughout. Tadpole’s doing, no doubt.

Leelo’s beauty took his breath away, as it always did, and once again he had the feeling that she was not of this world. Even in the morning dimness of their house, she drew the light to her. It shined off her fair hair and translucent skin. She wasn’t meant for Endla, perhaps, but he wasn’t sure she was meant for Bricklebury, either. A fae kingdom, perhaps.

She blushed, and he realized he’d been staring. “You look beautiful,” he said, even though he knew his sisters were watching and judging.

“Thank you,” she said softly. “So do you.”

Jaren ignored Summer’s blush, Story’s wide eyes, and Tadpole’s snort of laughter. “Come on,” he said, taking Leelo’s hand. “Let’s go find your brother.”

Chapter Fifty-Six

Leelo’s heartbeat quickened when they came over a rise to find a lush green meadow spread before them. A blonde girl and a smaller, dark-haired figure were tending to a row of beehives. The girl waved and turned to help the smaller figure remove the netting covering his head.

Story had explained how Tate came to be with Lupin’s family on the walk over. “I was out searching for Jaren one day when three incantu children materialized from the forest,” she’d said. Tate, Violet, and Bizhan. She’d gone to Lupin for help, not knowing who else to ask, and together they had found temporary homes for the other two children. Meanwhile, Lupin and Tate had bonded, so her parents had agreed to take him in.

When Tate looked up and saw Leelo, he came running across the field at full speed, nearly knocking her over with the force of his embrace. She covered Tate’s head and face in kisses until he’d finally had enough and gently pushed her away.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his expression wavering between joy and fear. He had grown in just the short time since he left, she thought. Or maybe distance was helping her to see him as he’d always been.

“It’s a very long story.”

“Where’s Mama?” He looked at the gathered people, as if expecting to see her face among them.

“She couldn’t make it, Tate. I’m so sorry.” She almost added that she was safe, but the truth was, she didn’t know that. And she couldn’t lie to her brother again.

“Why don’t we go to the house to talk?” Lupin said after a moment. “Honey on warm bread makes everything a little easier.”

Leelo studied her, trying to decide if she recognized her face at all. She could be Vance’s older sister, she thought, or any one of the incantu who had left over the course of Leelo’s life. So many broken families, and yet, for the people like Lupin who found new families, perhaps life on the mainland was not the worst thing that could happen to someone.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” Leelo said as they walked toward the house. She still couldn’t believe that she was no longer on Endla, that she was on the mainland among outsiders. “I’m so grateful that he’s safe and healthy.”

“We’re happy to do it,” Lupin said, ruffling Tate’s hair.

Leelo pointed to the bundle of netting in Tate’s arms. “You don’t wear one of those when you tend to the bees?”

Lupin shook her head. “I don’t need it.”

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