"It's not what you think," Alden interrupted. "He's . . ."

His voice faded away. Fitz and Biana couldn't seem to say it either.

Grady stepped forward. "Alvar has . . . lost his way. Like Brant. And Lady Gisela."

Sophie could see the moment of understanding dawn in Della's eyes. Grief turned to shock-then fury and confusion, all of the chaos spilling out in thick tears.

"No," Della whispered. "He wouldn't . . ."

"Oh, he would." Fitz's voice was black ice.

"Come on," Alden said, hooking his arm gently around his wife. "They can handle this one without us."

He turned to Mr. Forkle, who nodded gravely.

"If it helps," Granite said quietly, "this changes nothing for us. We trust your commitment implicitly-same for Fitz and Biana. Whenever-if ever-you're ready to return to our cause, there will always be a place."

Except now they'd be working to capture their son and brother, Sophie realized.

And when Fitz and Biana had fought the Neverseen on Mount Everest, there was a good chance they'd been fighting Alvar without realizing it.

But Keefe was facing that too, and he was doing okay. Ish.

Now they could band together, once they recovered from the shock of it.

Fitz took his dad's free hand, Biana clung to her brother, and the four Vackers leaped away as a family.

"The Council is on their way, I assume?" Mr. Forkle asked Grady.

"Oralie said they were going to make sure the fire was contained in Wildwood before they came here," Grady said.

At the mention of the devastated colony, all eyes turned to Calla, who was leaning against a tree, her ear pressed to the bark.

"There is so much life here," Calla whispered, her eyes turning to the pastures. "More than I've felt anywhere."

Havenfield was one of the rehabilitation centers for the Sanctuary, so the expansive grounds were divided into pastures for all manner of impossible creatures.

"This is where you live?" Calla asked Sophie.

"When I'm not banished," she said, forcing a smile.

Calla turned to the rows of bulbous trees in the distance, where the Havenfield gnomes normally lived. "I like it here. This will be good."

"What will?" Sophie asked.

"I'll explain when the Council arrives," Calla promised.

She stood to wander the grounds, humming to the various trees, and the adults murmured among themselves, discussing things Sophie couldn't make herself pay attention to. She sat with her friends, the five of them lost in their own worries as the sky faded from sunset to twilight.

The evening star had just risen when the Council glittered into the clearing.

"Still wearing disguises?" Councillor Alina said, frowning at the Collective.

"We would love to work with you openly," Granite told her. "You're the ones who've denied us the privilege."

Councillor Emery held up his hand, silencing Alina before she could respond. "We have more important things to discuss than our divisions."

"Indeed we do," Mr. Forkle said. "I assume you know about Ravagog."

"We've seen the damage," Councillor Emery agreed.

He didn't sound furious. He sounded impressed.

Still, Sophie had to ask, "Does this mean we're going to war with the ogres?"

"It's possible," Councillor Emery warned. "But too early to tell. You have dealt King Dimitar a heavy blow. You've demolished Ravagog's gate and removed the only bridge connecting his city. Our goblins are already forming a perimeter around the city to remind the ogres that we are far more prepared for battle than they are at the moment. And now that the king has lost his secret weapon with the drakostomes, our hope is that he will finally negotiate a real treaty-one that gives us the level of control we expect."

"This is assuming, of course, that they truly have lost their secret weapon," Councillor Terik chimed in.

All eyes shifted to Calla.

She finished the song she'd been humming and took a slow breath, keeping her shoulders square. "The ogres' cure was a fake," she said, allowing them a second to process. "But it doesn't matter. I will be the cure."

SEVENTY-FOUR.

WHAT EXACTLY DOES that mean?" Elwin asked Calla. "How can you be the cure?"

"Because I know what the Panakes are," Calla said. "The legends called them the Brave Ones and I never understood why. But their roots sang of a life given freely. That's where the healing comes from. The blossoms sprout from the sacrifice."

"Anyone else confused?" Dex asked.

Sophie definitely was.

But she didn't like the word "sacrifice."

She ran to Calla's side, grabbing her green-thumbed hands. "Please tell me you're not sacrificing yourself."

Calla stared at the pastures, her eyes both sad and dreamy. "I'm old. I've enjoyed thousands of years on this earth. And now I'll enjoy thousands more in a different form."

"But-"

Calla placed her finger on Sophie's lips. "You can't change this, Sophie. Do not try."

"So you're saying the Panakes were gnomes," Councillor Emery said, breaking the silence.

"Brave Ones who choose to shift their form," Calla agreed. "Their sacrificed life energy nourished the Panakes to give them the power of healing."

"Fascinating," Councillor Terik whispered.

Bronte shook his head. "All this time, we never realized the cure was within our control."

"What control?" Sophie asked. "She has to die for this. Calla, you can't-"

"I must," Calla interrupted. "Don't tell me you would not do the same, if you could save your friends."

Tears gathered in Sophie's eyes, spilling down her cheeks. "But you're my friend too."

Calla smiled. "I know. And I do this to help you, as well." She turned to the Council, her gray eyes hardening. "Remove the banishment from these children-all of them. Even the two who've left. They saved my species. I wouldn't know this path to the cure without them."

"I agree," Councillor Bronte said, ignoring Councillor Alina's huff. "It is time we start correcting our past errors."

The Councillors murmured among themselves, but Sophie couldn't listen. She was too busy trying to think of a way to change Calla's mind.

She only paid attention when Councillor Emery called, "All in favor?"

All twelve Councillors raised their hands.

Grady and Edaline rushed to hug Sophie, scooping up Dex and Keefe in the process. Sophie pulled away, not ready to celebrate.

"Calla," she started.

"This was my choice," Calla interrupted. "I made it willingly. And it cannot be undone. I've already let my final song settle into my heart. There's no stopping the shift now."

Elwin made his way over, flashing colored orbs around Calla. "She's right. It looks like everything inside her is slowing down."

"How long do you have?" Grady asked, holding Sophie steady as everything spun too fast.

Calla stared at her hands, where the green coloring was already spreading beyond her thumbs. "Sometime tonight the final shift will happen, and by morning you'll find my tree."

"Morning," Sophie repeated, her voice breaking.

That was too soon. Everything was happening so fast-she couldn't . . .

"Hey," Keefe said as Sophie pulled away from Grady. He took her hands. "It's okay."

"How is it okay?" she yelled. "Calla's dying."

"I'm changing," Calla corrected. "And I don't mind-see?"

She offered Keefe her hand, and he placed his palm over hers and closed his eyes.

"She really does feel at peace," he said.

"I am." Calla wiped Sophie's tears. "Please don't cry for me. This is my happy ending. How many get to choose their last breath, and make it for the good of everyone?"

"But I'm going to miss you so much," Sophie cried.

"And when you do, you can come sit under my tree." Calla turned to Grady and Edaline. "I have one favor to ask. I must set my roots down somewhere. And the earth feels peaceful here."

"Of course," Edaline whispered. "Our home is your home."

"Anywhere you'd like," Grady added. "Even if you want the middle of a pasture."

Calla pointed to a small hill overlooking the other pastures. Sophie knew if she stood there, she could see the ocean.

"That will be my place," Calla said, "from this day forward."

"We'll make sure your Panakes is nurtured and protected," Grady promised.

"No," Sophie said. "There has to be something I can do-"

"There is," Calla interrupted. "You can listen to my songs. And you can make starkflower stew and pour a bowl into the ground to share it with me. And you stay my brave moonlark, always."

She reached for Sophie's allergy remedy necklace, planting a kiss on the pin.

Then she pulled Sophie close for a final hug.

"You must go now," Calla whispered. "I don't want you to witness the shift. Go inside-all of you. Please."

Everyone watched in silence as Calla climbed the hill-her hill. The last place she would ever stand.

"Go," she said again, planting her feet firmly in the center. "Let us all find rest."

She closed her eyes then, swaying with the breeze. The faintest hum of her melody drifted through the night, turning the air restful. Singing of the coming dawn.

"Goodbye," Sophie whispered, so softly she was sure Calla couldn't hear her.

Calla opened her eyes. "Farewell, Sophie Foster."

SEVENTY-FIVE.

THEY MOVED OUT of Calla's sight, near a pasture filled with grazing griffins. The Council left quickly, promising they'd return in the morning to check the Panakes.