Hushed Willows and they raise a toast of bulleit rye

Every day more people came to the forest of willows, and every day Mae found herself questioning more and more what Boone and Reverie's purpose here was. When she heard them calling for all those they'd gathered, she had half a mind to stay exactly where she was. Too many strangers for her taste, too many unknowns.

But she owed them her life, and that was what brought her out just in time to witness the red woman and her — actually, what was she doing? Panicking, if Mae had to guess; she knew that feeling well by now. But it wasn't like any kind of panic she had ever witnessed, and she certainly wasn't qualified to do anything about it.

Instead her gaze went to Reverie and Boone, wondering what they planned to do to maintain their growing collection of freaks. Mae, at least, was the self-sufficient brand.