The whole time I'd been gone, I'd never put any thought into how I'd explain where I went. Now I had to explain a whole lot of craziness without seeming crazy myself. To be honest, I'd been hoping to avoid most of it.

"Who are these weirdos?" Sember hissed at me when we were out of earshot.

Remi winced a little, but said nothing. He was probably wondering the same thing, but was more polite about it.

"Shush!" I was appalled she'd call them that, and also afraid one of them had hearing sharp enough to pick up what we were saying. "They're not weirdos."

She gave her head a vigorous shake. "You're right. I'm the last person who should be calling anyone weird."

I nudged her with my elbow. "You're not weird either. You're fierce."

This got me a grin from her, and I was happy to improve her mood. Then I launched into the entire story. About the Camp inhabitants, the kidnappings, the standoff with the Zurbo tribe, everything. Well, everything except Tessia's abilities. I knew she didn't want that revealed.

"You're kidding me." Sember stopped walking long enough to fix me with an incredulous stare. "How could all that have happened in just a few days?" She looked to Remi as if maybe she had calculated wrong. He scratched his head, just as astounded.

"You sure you're not making all this up to cover up an otherwise underwhelming experience?"

I gave her an unamused glare.

"Just kidding! Sort of."

"It is a little hard to believe," Remi admitted.

"I know. I still can't believe I'm related to a green-skinned woman and a man covered head to toe with hair. I wish you could have met him. He was so nice."

Sember picked a leaf from a low-hanging branch. "What are you going to do now?"

That was the question of the day. The question of my life, it felt like. And I had no answers. So I deflected instead. "How did you find this place anyway?"

Sember looked to Remi, who gave me a humble smile. "Before I can shoot arrows at anything, I have to find it first."

"Siena always told me you were a good tracker," I said. "But I had no idea how good."

He shrugged. "A guy that big breaks a lot of branches."

Ah-ha! So I hadn't left a trail of torn dress bits like Fen had accused me of. I would have to tell him so later. I examined the ragged hem at my knees.

Remi chuckled. "The occasional piece of yellow cloth helped too."

I wouldn't tell Fen that part.

"I'm surprised Jastin didn't come with you," I commented.

"Oh, trust me, he wanted to." One of those private little smiles lit Sember's face. "But we convinced him to stay behind so he could help defend Foresthome, since we weren't sure who or what we were dealing with. Someone else could come skulking around."

"Fen does skulk a bit," I admitted. "Kind of surprising for such a big guy."

"You like him." Sember pointed the leaf at me. "Like, a lot."

I stopped walking and pressed my hands against my face. "Can you tell?" I turned to Remi. "Really?"

"You do get a little googly-eyed when you talk about him," he said.

I pulled my hands away. "I do not get googly-eyed!"

Neither of them replied. I rolled my eyes at their knowing looks. "Okay, fine. I like him a lot. He's loyal and strong and kind, and he likes me too!"

"Yeah?" Sember lowered her voice with a gleam in her eye. "Have you kissed him yet?"

"Ugh." Remi grimaced. "Is this what girls talk about all the time?"

"Not yet," I said to Sember. "And yes," I said to Remi.

"Not all the time," Sember added indignantly.

"Okay, it's what I talk about all the time."

When the laughing stopped, Sember grew serious again. "Seriously, though, are they safe? Galen really did seem freaked out by your guy the first time around. And also . . ."

"Also, what?"

She fiddled with the leaf in her hands. "Your track record with guys isn't all that great."

"What do you mean?

"Dozan's gift was, you know. He could make women want him. And you didn't mind, even after I told you!"

"So? He was fun."

"He was manipulative."

"But not in an evil way. He wasn't a bad guy."

"He spread that plague without even knowing it."

"Still doesn't make him evil. Just clueless."

Remi waved a hand between us. "All right, all right. Can we talk about something else now? So this Fenrook guy, you really think he's harmless?"

"I think he's got a good heart. He just . . ." How was I supposed to explain his previous Normals-are-bad point of view? "Didn't know any better."

The two of them nodded like it made sense, and I breathed a little easier. I wanted my old friends to get along with my new ones.

Only, Niralessa wasn't really a friend, was she? She was my mother. Who kidnapped children. Who had been on the verge of waging war on a helpless tribe. Did I really want to stay here?

Away from my joyous feelings for Fen, I wasn't so sure anymore.

So hard deciding what to do. You know what YOU should, though, right? (Hint: it involves the vote button.)