Tate moves into Kya’s shack, and they establish a simple, devoted partnership without formal marriage. They renovate the shack, build Kya a small lab and studio, and continue her field work and writing. Kya refuses a lab job, keeps to the marsh, and rarely returns to town. Jodie and Libby visit, bringing warmth and family to the cabin, while Barkley Cove’s stories about Chase’s death fade into legend.

When Jumpin’ dies, Tate brings the news; Kya mourns privately and later embraces Mabel, who affirms Jumpin’s love for her. On the beach, Kya finally releases her mother, saying goodbye without bitterness. Jodie and Libby’s regular visits with their children help fill the spaces of Kya’s past losses.

As Barkley Cove gentrifies, Kya publishes more award-winning books and even receives an honorary doctorate, yet declines public appearances. She and Tate hope for children but have none, deepening their bond. Kya reflects that nature shaped her, accepting her differences as part of life’s design and her enduring connection to the marsh.

At sixty-four, Kya’s heart quietly stops while out collecting, and Tate finds her lifeless in her boat. He secures permission to bury her on her land, where townspeople, family, and admirers honor her life and work. Her grave is marked “Catherine Danielle Clark ‘Kya’ The Marsh Girl 1945–2009.”

After the funeral, Tate searches the shack for papers and uncovers a hidden compartment. Inside are drafts and clippings credited to “A.H.”—revealing Kya as the poet Amanda Hamilton—and a poem titled The Firefly, which describes a predatory lure. In a small box he finds Chase Andrews’s missing shell necklace, confirming Kya’s secret role in his death.

Tate imagines her careful, moon-timed plan and recovery of the necklace, then protects her memory. He burns the poems, destroys the rawhide cord, and returns the shell to the sea, letting the tide erase distinctions. As fireflies glow over the marsh, he keeps Kya’s secrets with the land that shaped her.