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“Damn,” Makoa said. “I always thought this forest was infested with sea spiders and mu’ukade. Never checked it out until now.”
“I avoided it, too,” said Kai.
“Well, that’s because I told you all of those things when we were kids,” said Ari. “Remember?”
“Ari, you sneaky bastard,” said Makoa.
“I didn’t want anyone else to find this place,” he replied.
The moment they lowered me into the shallows, I felt a wash of relief. This was right. This was where she wanted to be.
“Ari!” I cried as another wave of painful contractions swept through me. “This is it!”
Visir shooed the two brothers away to the shore as Ari opened my robe and knelt between my legs.
“Move him deeper,” Ari told Visir. “Support his head, keep it above the water.”
They moved me further into the shallows until I was floating submerged to my neck with Visir holding me up to breathe. Ari went beneath and a moment later resurfaced.
“I need you to push as hard as you can,” he said. “Ready? Push!”
I put everything I had into it. He dipped below again as I strained, my entire being feeling like it was about to pop.
He came back up. “You’realmostthere, Istil. You’re doing fantastic. Here we go. One more push.One more push!”
Ari dropped out of sight, and I filled my lungs and strained with all my might. A fast wind whipped over the canopy and swirled around me, chopping at the water.
I was finally at the end of this journey and so ready to meet our daughter. No, it wasn’t the end—this was the start. This was where everything changed. I was leaving my old life behind, joining hands with Ari and moving forward together into a new destiny. Together with her…
When Ari came back to the surface, it felt for a moment like I was hallucinating. He was holding a baby in his arms.
“You were right again,” he said, smiling. “It’s a girl.”
Her cries were real, and so was her warmth against my chest. She was beautiful. So small, and delicate, but also strong. It was clear from her voice.
“We’re so excited you’re here,” I said to her as Ari leaned in to look at his daughter.
The love and pride in his smile were as beautiful as she was, and it filled me with happiness to see it. He kissed her cheek, then kissed me.
“We never talked about a name,” he said.
“I think she should have a T’Wanu name,” I said, “since she was conceived and born here.”
“I would love that,” Ari said. “Did you have any ideas?”
“What’s the T’wanu word for the ocean?”
“Fala’u.”
“I like it,” I said, kissing her soft, perfect little cheek. “Fala’u.”
She wanted to be in the water, I could feel it. Cradling her in my arms, I slipped beneath the surface. Ari joined me, and we floated together in the calm rocking of the surf, surrounded by the gentle sounds of the sea. Fala’u was snuggled against me, clearly at home in the sea. Ari took us both into his arms, and I knew that it didn’t matter where I was. Forest, ocean—anywhere could be home as long as the three of us were together.
Epilogue
ARI
“There’s a batch of extra medicine in the box on my desk,” I said. “I’ve told Visir where he can find it if you need it. But your current supply should be fine until I return. And if any of the family needs help, just go to Eli. He’ll know what to do.”
