Then why go?

Because I…we.

We what, Rafe? You can tell me anything.

We miss our moms.

Rafe closed his book.

—

At dawn, he and Jeremy watched the sunrise together through the trees. It took a long time for the red and pink rays to climb all the way over the distant mountaintops.

“Those are the Castle Mountains,” Rafe said. “I remember that now.”

“They are.”

“The dragons live there.”

“We never saw one, though,” Jeremy said. “Skya says they’re sleeping until a time Shanandoah needs them. I don’t want to know what might wake them.”

It was all true. They could catch stars in nets. He did ride all night to fetch a midwife to help bring Kaylee into the world. Jeremy had fought a silver tiger until it fled back into the woods.

“We did make out in the Star Tower all the time.”

“Great view,” Jeremy said. He smiled. “As if we ever looked at the view.”

Breakfast was calling, so they made their way down the spiral stairs in the tree to the ground below. The horses were still half-asleep, but they woke up when Jeremy promised them they could have their rainberries and oats back at the palace. As they rode through the Sweet Spring Forest, the morning mist was so thick on the ground, it seemed the horses were wading through clouds.

After an hour, the mist dissipated. Rafe clicked his tongue once, and Sunny halted.

Jeremy rode to him. “What is it?”

He looked around him and laughed. “This is it,” Rafe said. “This is where we woke up. Right here. I remember that rock by the river, the one that looks like a sleeping cat.”

Jeremy nodded. “You’re right. You remember?”

“I remember. I remember waking up soaking wet.”

“You were dehydrated. I had to make you drink some water. For every drop I got down your throat, a few liters ended up on your shirt.”

“That was when…”

“When what?”

“I saw you cry. You cried that day when you thought I was going to die,” Rafe said.

“No. I cried when I knew you were going to live.”

Rafe dismounted and walked over to the bank of the river. Sleek pink fish darted under the surface. Sugar trout, Skya called them. Savory and sweet when smoked over a campfire.

“What are we going to do?” Rafe asked. He didn’t have to explain what he meant. Jeremy knew.

“Let’s stay,” Jeremy said. “We can stay forever this time.”

“What about Mom?”

“What about Skya? What about Emilie? What about the kingdom? What about you being happy here?” Freddy nuzzled against Jeremy’s back, bit at his tunic. “Yes, and what about the lads? We can’t leave our horses.”

Rafe leaned against Sunny’s neck and rubbed his velvet nose.

“Jay, it was Mom.”

“What was Mom?”

“Mom taped my sketches back together. It wasn’t me. She taped them back together and slid them under the door of my room. I remember her saying, ‘Baby? Here you go. I did my best.’ She was whispering. You know why she was whispering?”

“I can guess.”

“She was afraid of him too.”

“I know your mother loves you. Wouldn’t she want you to be happy?”

“She would want me to be happy. But I also don’t want her to die of grief. And she will if I don’t come home this time.”

“Maybe…” Jeremy looked up to the sky. “Maybe Aurora? She can travel between all the worlds with or without the door. Maybe she can get a message to your mom and tell her you’re all right.”

“Dear Mom, I’m all right and very happy, so I’m never coming home again ever. Love you. Bye.” Rafe could only imagine how well that would go over with his mother.

“We don’t have to decide today. Right? We have time,” Jeremy said.

“Right. Good point. We have time. We have lots of time.”

Rafe turned to Jeremy, raised his head to kiss him. And that’s when an arrow struck Jeremy in the back.

Time’s up.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Jeremy inhaled sharply and started to fall. Rafe grabbed him, looked around in terror.

Back from the dead, Ripper stepped out from behind a tree and cackled.

“Told ya I’d rip your heart out!” he cried in triumph.

Rafe reached for his bow, but Sunny and Freddy were faster. They crossed the distance in seconds, it seemed, then reared up and kicked Ripper into the river.

As Ripper sank into the water, he cried out, “Not fair!” before dissolving into nothing.