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Rohan ran along the wet sand after a red-haired woman as foaming waves stretched for him. He was almost to her, his arm extended to grab her shoulder when the voices intruded and severed the dream. He drew in a shaky breath as a feeling of profound loss settled in his chest. His eyes opened to stare at the ceiling as the events of what’d happened came crashing back, one after the other.

Farah .

Where was she? Had she made it out? He had to find her.

The voices came again, dragging his gaze to the side as he rolled his head. He spotted Dain and Durga talking in low voices.

Durga spotted him and smiled. “ About time you woke. I worried I’d given you too much.”

“ What was that?” he asked as he recalled the drink that had knocked him out.

“ Just a little something I keep handy. How do you feel?”

There wasn’t a trace of pain anywhere. He pushed himself up and wiggled the toes that had been smashed. “ I feel great.” His gaze slid to Dain . “ Where’s Farah ?”

“ That’s a little complicated,” Durga answered.

Dain stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back. “ She got your sister and the others safely out of the compound. They’re at your village now.”

“ That’s good. But that doesn’t tell me about her.” Rohan braced himself for the worst, even as he prayed to any gods who were listening.

“ Her injuries were worse than she let on.” Dain paused and drew in a breath. “ She was poisoned.”

“ Poisoned ?” Rohan repeated in confusion. “ Is that something elves use?”

Durga’s lips flattened as her face lined with regret. “ It is not. And before you ask, we don’t know how it happened. We’re trying to sort it out.”

Rohan had known she needed to get out of Mortham . He should’ve insisted that she leave with him. “ Will she live?”

“ The infection spread. She’s being cared for by one of the best Healers ,” Dain explained.

That was his way of saying they weren’t sure. Rohan swung his legs over the side of the sofa and dropped his head into his hands. He should’ve made her leave with him.

“ She’s a fighter. She’ll pull through. I’ll tell you the moment I know anything,” Durga promised.

Rohan raised his head and sat up straight. “ What do you need from me?”

“ I have a change of clothes and some food waiting. While you’re eating, I’d like you to recount what happened, starting from the very beginning when your sister was taken.” Durga walked to the closed door and stood, waiting for him.

Rohan glanced at Dain , who dipped his head, telling him to trust Durga . Rohan pushed to his feet and followed the elf out the door.

Three hours later, after a very long conversation where Durga asked the same questions in twenty different ways, Rohan found himself standing on the edge of the plateau, looking out at the sea.

“ It’s a beautiful place,” Dain said from beneath the shade of a tree.

Rohan nodded slowly. “ It certainly is. Thank you for bringing me home.”

“ Of course. When they brought your people home, Arya and Jai left some herbs with Lata .”

“ We’re grateful for that.” He eyed the shoreline, hoping to see red hair—and knowing he wouldn’t. “ It feels weird to be back after everything.”

Dain grunted. “ You’ll fall back into things soon enough.”

Rohan blew out a breath. He wasn’t so sure of that. He looked over to say the words out loud, but Dain was already gone. He smiled to himself and began the climb down the cliffside.

He heard his name and glanced down to see Lata running to him. He scrambled down faster, dropping the last ten feet to the platform. When he turned, both Lata and Kalyani threw themselves at him. He caught his sisters in his arms and held them tightly, thankful he had his family once again.

An image of Nitya’s dead body filled his mind. He couldn’t imagine Farah’s pain at learning who—and what—her sister was. After everything Farah had endured, she hadn’t gotten the happy ending she hoped for. And without her, he wouldn’t have his.

But he had lost, too. It was only after being parted from Farah that the depths of his feelings became clear. Perhaps it was better that they parted this way. There was no need for false words or hurtful excuses. He had seen for himself the lengths humans and elves went to in order to be together. Farah wouldn’t leave the DIA , and he had his people. They came from two different worlds and wanted different things. Even if she felt as he did, it probably wouldn’t have worked.

But what if it did…?

Rohan shut down such thoughts and leaned back to look at his sisters. Kalyani was radiant. The herbs had healed Lata’s injuries, but she looked older than her young years. There was healing to do by more than just his family.

“ Now what?” Lata asked.

“ We leave,” Kalyani said. “ Just as Rohan wanted. Not everyone wants to go, but they all understand we must.”

He blinked, taken aback. “ You talked them into it?”

“ You asked it of me,” Kalyani replied with a grin.

Lata shrugged. “ I guess that means we learn to build boats to sail.”

Rohan looked at Lata , who watched him with dark eyes. “ I don’t know if we should go. This is our home. And , Kal , you love the ocean. I don’t want to take that from you.”

“ You won’t if we sail off. I’ll have water all around me,” Kalyani replied.

Rohan looked at the shore again. “ We know nothing about building boats or sailing. Or even if there is more land out there.”

“ There has to be somewhere out there we could disappear,” Lata said.

He thought about the mountains. “ Maybe .”

Kalyani swept her arm wide. “ Everyone has been packing. Just tell us when to go.”

Lata took his hand and pulled him after her. Rohan glanced back at Kalyani and saw her gaze lingering on the water.

Four days later, Rohan watched thirteen Siguks strike out for Rannora . It turned out his sisters were right. It was time for a change. There had been too much heartache in their village. He searched the trees for signs of Dain or even Farah , but he hadn’t seen anyone. There had been no word from anyone about her condition.

The time of seclusion for the Siguks was over. It would be a slow process of seeking trade with others, including the elves, for the forty-two who remained. His adventure through Shecrish had opened a new world for him—one the others needed to learn. But they would do it in a new location.

Rohan waited until the thirteen were out of sight before he led the remainder of his people away. He set his sisters on a heading and took to the trees. He stood on a branch high above them and looked into the distance. Then he turned back. He could just make out the sea through the turning leaves. Farah had shown him a different world within the trees, and he wouldn’t forget it. He jumped from tree to tree, scouting ahead for danger.