Dear Risa,

  We made it to Fish! I wasn't sure where everyone would end up sleeping tonight, and it didn't end up like any of my guesses.

  Somehow, Maki and I are staying with my parents. Echo and Luke are staying with his parents. And Cali is sleeping in her dad’s barn.

  Luke’s mom has apparently adopted Echo, and they had too much to talk about for her to even come to dinner with us. Luke came, though, and the first thing he did was ask my parents if they had any issue with us dating. Which they didn't. It was very brave of him, though.

  I had to stay here tonight because Meriel demanded I tell her absolutely everything about everything. We haven't been away all that long, but she’s already a lot more mature. She was always more like Dad, but now it’s obvious she has his personality.

  Meanwhile, Maki is telling our parents a more… serious version of what we’ve done. Not the fun, exciting, and romantic stuff. The details about money, and magic, and everything that happened during the earthquakes. I don't want to hear about all that. I don't need to be there. I'm glad he’s around.

  Oh, when we got to town Dad saw us and teleported us straight to Mom. Luke says his face scared Echo half to death. Which I fully understand; he was not happy with how we left. But after the whole “you shouldn't have done that” speech, we all hugged it out and it was fine.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Cali… I don't know what happened with her. Her sister was thrilled to see her, that’s for sure, but things between her and her parents are… strained. I don't know why she isn't staying in their house. All she said was “it’s fine”, which isn't an answer. I’m a little worried about her. Tomorrow I’ll have to see if she’ll tell me everything.

  Oh, my bedroom here has changed. The building was destroyed in the earthquake, duh, and then it was rebuilt with the same basic shape, but Mom decided the stuff didn't need to be the same. So Maki and I's rooms are now kinda generic guest rooms. All our clothes and toys and other things were shoved into a closet, and if we don't take them with us, they'll be thrown away.

  Which I understand on a logical level. I don't live here any more. So my stuff shouldn't be here.

  On an emotional level, though, it stings a little.

  Like, when I was seven, Maki and I decided to make a “secret” door between our rooms. So we spent an hour sawing a hole in the wall which separated the rooms. We were stopped when Dad heard the noise and came to check what we were doing, but at that point the hole was already there, so he got Luke’s mom to come in and make a mini door for us. Without cutting through any important beams or anything.

  We’ve used that door our whole lives. And… it doesn't exist any more. They rebuilt the wall as a solid wall.

  Which makes sense. If anyone who isn't us stays in these rooms, having a random door connecting them would be weird and creepy.

  But seeing the wall without the door made me cry a little.

  I don't know, I’m just emotional about everything nowadays. Maybe it’s sleep deprivation. I should fix that.

  Regards,

  Maeve Zee