I itched to return to Foresthome. I wanted to see for myself that my parents were okay. I wanted to tell Siena about everything that happened. Jastin was the perfect host, keeping us fed, showing us around Odavik, and talking to us for hours. Goben continued to spend a lot of time with Vina, so much so that it was often just me and Jastin together. Since our adventure in the cave, he seemed to open up more. Trust more. The more time I spent with him, the more I liked him.
Which was why I needed to leave. Except for Goben, no one was safe around me. I couldn’t bear it if I harmed Jastin with my gift. The hand-shaped burn I’d inflicted onto his side reminded me that he wasn’t immune to my heat.
“It’s been two days,” I told Goben, while walking him to Vina’s dwelling. “I need to find out if
