Flea trotted to the bottom of the ramp, whining at the sight of Talon and wagging his tail. Wagging his entire body. Talon looked up, his green eyes shining with eagerness. “Can I go?”

“Sure,” Perry said, and watched him run down the ramp with Clara.

Talon didn’t get far before Flea jumped on him, knocking him to the sand. Clara shot past them and jumped into Brooke’s arms. The tribe rushed forward, surrounding them, until Perry lost sight of them both.

He looked at Aria beside him. There were still so many problems to solve, but they had brought Talon and Clara home, and rescued who they could from Reverie. It was a good beginning.

They would need to form a new tribe now, and find the Still Blue.

Perry held out his hand, remembering his approach to the Tides with her weeks ago. Their awkward silence and the distance they’d put between them. They’d taken their greatest strength and hidden it like a weakness.

“Should we try this again?” he asked.

Aria smiled. “The right way,” she said, and wove her fingers through his. “Together.”