The Forest of Vanishing Stars(77)

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On the way to the group, Yona repeated what she knew about the planned infiltration of the forest, though she couldn’t bring herself to explain how she was privy to such a secret. Zus accepted it without question, though, going silent for a while as he absorbed the news and what it meant for them. As they drew closer to the group’s camp, he filled her in on the events of the past month, and Yona was surprised to learn that the settlement had grown by seven in the short time she’d been gone. Two complete families had arrived from a village where they’d hidden for months together in the storage area beneath a farmer’s barn until the farmer was killed in a raid by the local police, who suspected him of harboring fugitives. The families had been looking for a group led by a man named Tuvia Bielski, which was rumored to be large enough to function like a small society. It was the group Jüttner had mentioned, too, the one that was hiding hundreds of Jews. Instead, the newcomers had happened upon this group, and they’d been welcomed immediately.

Zus, it seemed, had stepped into more of a leadership role in the weeks since Yona had been away. “We all feel that we owe our survival to you,” Zus said, his voice deep with warmth and something stronger. “And to see Aleksander and Sulia act as they did felt like a betrayal of all of us.”

The words made Yona’s heart thrum with confused gratitude. “No one needed to fight my battle with Aleksander.”

“There is no battle,” Zus said simply. “Just a clarity about the type of man Aleksander is.”

They said no more about it, and ten minutes later, as they walked into a bustling camp, her eyes filled with tears when she saw the children chasing each other around, and Zus’s cousins, Israel, George, and Wenzel, their heads bent together as they knelt beside a log, grinding acorns into powder. Oscher was mending a boot, and fifteen-year-old Ester was methodically picking through a basket of berries. Little Pessia was the first to spot Yona, her face breaking into a grin.

“Yona!” she called, jumping up and racing toward her, and Yona forgot for a few seconds about the danger that had brought her here so quickly. She had thought that this was Aleksander’s family, that she was the interloper, but as Pessia threw herself into Yona’s arms, followed quickly by Leah, she knew that she’d been wrong to run. She belonged here, in the heart of the forest, at the heart of this family, which was hers after all.

“I’m so glad to see you,” she whispered into Pessia’s ear, and then she kissed Leah before straightening up to face the others. They had all emerged from huts or walked in from the forest to see what the commotion was about, and as she looked out at the small sea of smiling, familiar faces, dotted with a handful of strangers, her eyes prickled with tears of gratitude. “I’m sorry,” she said, raising her voice so it carried across the clearing. “I’m so sorry I left.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.” Zus’s deep voice came from behind her, and as she wiped away a tear, she could see a few of the women nodding. Aleksander still hadn’t emerged, and Sulia hadn’t, either, but Yona saw plenty of glances toward a small lean-to, just big enough for two.

“We’re just glad you’re home, Yona,” Ruth said. She was holding Daniel, who had grown even in the month that Yona had been gone. Life had unfolded without her, and the thought of that made her heart throb with regret over what she had missed.

“I’m glad, too,” Yona said, and just then, Aleksander emerged from the small structure, followed closely by Sulia, who appeared to be reaching for Aleksander’s hand, though Aleksander ignored her.

“Yona?” he asked, and in his expression, she saw both relief and trepidation. “I didn’t expect you to return.”

Yona was surprised when the words didn’t wound her. Aleksander was no one to her now, nothing more than any of the others. He was someone whose life she needed to save, just like everyone else. “Yes, well, life is full of things we don’t expect, isn’t it?” she said evenly, glancing at Sulia, who at least had the decency to look away. Zus cleared his throat, and Yona was certain that the sound covered a laugh.

“Yona has come with news,” Zus said, and as all eyes turned to him, expectant and waiting, Yona was struck by how much attention he effortlessly commanded. Before she’d left, he’d seemed content with a secondary role, but in her absence, he had filled a void. It was more than she’d hoped for; he was a good man with solid instincts for the forest. He had kept the group safe. “Yona, you can meet the Sokolowskis in a moment, and the Gulniks, too,” he continued. “They are the new families who have joined us.” In the small crowd, the newcomers nodded at her. “But for now, we must listen to you.”

Yona gave Zus a nod of gratitude before turning back to the group. “The Germans are moving into the forest very soon,” she said without preamble, and a few of the people gasped. She saw both of Chaim’s little boys look up instantly at their father, and he put his hands on their heads, as if he could protect them with his touch. “We must move. Now.”

“Move where?” Sulia asked, her voice high and harsh. “We live here.” Aleksander took a step away from her.

Yona took a deep breath. She had been thinking about this during her whole journey here. Where could they go that the Germans couldn’t track them, wouldn’t find them? “Into the vast swamp just to the west of the forest’s heart.” Safe, whispered the voice in her head, an echo from the past.