But, how do you know if an ending is truly good for the characters unless you've traveled with them through every page?

I can see that one can never pay back Gilsa for the fear that she will give again.

Rin slept inside the oak’s thought. Its own memories of weather and growth continued to hum, and like a pond, its stillness reflected back herself.

Words can fall hard like a boulder loosed from a cliff. Words can drift unnoticed like a weed seed on a breeze. Words can sing.

Listen to your second thought, or the third might be too late.

Why was the judgement of the disapproving so valuable? Who said that their good opinions tended to be any more rational than those of generally pleasant people?

I do like the world quite a lot.