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Lily nodded, an uncertain look on her face. “The other Tristan told you?”
“He showed me that time you and he were sitting up against the tree, talking about how to study the Woven. You told him to leave her be. That she wasn’t going to harm us,” Tristan admitted. He looked down at the table and ran his hands over it as if he recognized it. “We showed each other pretty much everything during the crossing.”
Seeing the shape of his hands and the cast of his features in the familiar light of home, Lily could almost imagine that this Tristan was her Tristan, but stopped herself. If she started allowing herself to think that they were the same, and that her Tristan lived on in him, then his death would mean nothing.
“So, not only are you possessing us, you’re claiming Woven on top of it?” Caleb asked, the words sticking in his throat. “Are we expected to become stone kin with Pale One? Share our memories and mindspeak? Oh, sorry—what would you call it with a coyote? Mindbarking?” His mouth was pressed thin in disgust.
Lily looked at Rowan and saw him watching her with a guarded expression. She realized that he was trying to keep his distaste in check.
“See, this is why I didn’t tell you,” she said, throwing up her hands. “The Woven are intelligent—they have thoughts and feelings like we do. Did you know that Pale One saved us? She’s the one who jumped on Grace, giving Carrick enough time—”
“All she has to do is jump on someone and that makes her intelligent?” Caleb fired back, rising to his feet. “I suppose we have to accept Carrick now, too, because he struck the match?”
“No, that’s not . . . I didn’t say that,” Lily stammered, breathless. “The Woven . . . Carrick . . . they’re not the same.”
“Maybe not to you,” Caleb said with a deep scowl twisting his face. Tristan stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. Caleb shook him off. “Don’t tell me to be calm.” He looked at Rowan. “You know exactly why I’m so angry.”
Rowan nodded and looked down at his hands as a frustrated silence spread out between them.
“Lillian? Is everyone ready to go yet?” Samantha asked, interrupting the tension.
They turned to see Samantha, dressed in street clothes for the first time in ages and carrying a packed suitcase. A hand fluttered up nervously to her bushy hair.
“It’s just that some of the other versions of us have left already, so I figured this version of us would have to go soon, too,” Samantha said by way of explaining. She shifted from foot to foot like a child.
“What do you mean, Mom?” Juliet asked patiently.
“We’ve got to go back to that world, Juliet, because you and I are the only ones who can convince the other Lillian and that Alaric fellow to join forces with each other.” Samantha turned to Lily, squaring her shoulders and looking surprisingly sane. “You’ve got a lot of work to do, Lillian, so we’d better light you on fire and get to it.”
Stunned, the coven forgot they were fighting with one another and stared at Samantha.
“Can you, like, see the future?” Breakfast asked.
“No,” Samantha said, and gave a breathy laugh. “In another universe you didn’t have that argument you just had, which saved a lot of time. A few versions of us are already on to the next thing, which is Lily convincing Juliet and me to come back with you.” She thought about it. “I wouldn’t really call that the future. Just a slightly different time line.”
The stares only lasted a moment more, and then Rowan cleared his throat. “I think we should all eat and rest first. It’ll be dark soon. We’ll start building the pyre then,” he said.
Caleb swung out of the room, still angry. Rowan stood to go after him, but Tristan stopped him.
“I got this one,” Tristan said, and followed his stone kin outside.
Una and Breakfast started pulling food and drinks out of the refrigerator. Juliet stood up from the table, looking nervous.
“You really need me to go back with you?” she asked.
“Yes,” Lily replied, sorry and scared for her sister. “It’s dangerous, but I wouldn’t ask unless I thought you could save thousands of lives.”
“How can I say no to that?” Juliet asked, sighing. “You will explain this to me at some point, won’t you?”
“Of course.” Lily and Juliet shared a smile. “And you could still say no.”
“No I couldn’t. I’ll just assume that in another universe I heard all the reasons why and got properly convinced.” Juliet sighed. “Not like my life here is going great, anyway.” Juliet stood. “I’d better get a few things together.”
“Pack light,” Rowan said. “We don’t know what kind of situation we’ll be entering when we worldjump. We may have to hit the ground running.”
Juliet nodded and went to Samantha. “Come on, Mom. Let’s see what you put in there.” She took her mother’s bag
and shook it. It jingled. Juliet raised an eyebrow.
