Page 8 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

FENELLA

Fenella stood by the penthouse windows, gazing at the sprawling cityscape of Los Angeles. In fifty years of wandering the globe, she'd somehow never made it to this city of Angels and Hollywood stars.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jasmine appeared at her side with two mugs of coffee.

Fenella accepted the offered mug with a grateful nod. "I was just thinking about how bloody strange life is. A week ago, I was chained up in that hellhole, and now I'm standing in a luxury penthouse drinking fancy coffee." She took a sip, savoring the rich flavor. "And contemplating babysitting duty."

Jasmine laughed. "The girls are not babies. Besides, they adore you."

"God knows why," Fenella muttered, though secretly she was touched by the girls' affection, whichdefied logic, but then teenagers weren't the most logical of creatures.

"We need to keep them busy today." Jasmine leaned against the glass. "Otherwise, they'll just sit around like zombies in front of the screen, worrying about their families."

Fenella nodded. Distraction was a powerful tool against anxiety—something she'd learned through decades of her own struggles. "What did you have in mind? Shopping? Though I suppose they've got enough new clothes to last them a while."

"I was thinking something more touristy," Jasmine said. "Show them a bit of the city. Hollywood, maybe? Santa Monica Pier?"

"I heard that the Hollywood Walk of Fame is rather underwhelming." Fenella took another sip of the fabulous coffee. "It's just a bunch of stars on the pavement with names they probably won't recognize. Santa Monica could be nice, though. Beach, boardwalk, that giant Ferris wheel..."

"It's called the Pacific Wheel," Jasmine corrected.

"Whatever." Fenella waved her hand dismissively. "The point is, it might be nice." She looked at the four girls huddled on the couch and watching cartoons, or anime as it was called these days.

Not that Fenella knew the difference. Perhaps it was about the emo-looking characters with hair blocking one eye?

Kids these days were weird.

"Let's ask them what they want to do," Jasminesuggested. "After all, they are young ladies, not babies."

"Sure thing," Fenella waved a hand. "After you."

Jasmine walked over to where the girls were sitting and sat on the enormous coffee table, facing them. "Fenella and I were just discussing plans for today," she said. "Would you like a tour of Los Angeles?"

The suggestion brought a spark of interest to the girls' eyes.

"Where would we go?" Donya asked.

"Hollywood, maybe," Jasmine suggested. "Or Santa Monica—there's a beautiful beach and a pier with rides."

"What about Disneyland?" Laleh asked, her eyes sparkling. "I've heard it's magical."

Fenella blinked in surprise. The request seemed so normal. So innocently childlike. At sixteen, Laleh was not a child, but perhaps because she was the youngest, the others treated her as one, and she was comfortable with that.

"Disneyland is a bit far," Jasmine said. "It's about an hour and a half drive from here, depending on traffic."

Laleh's face fell, but she nodded in reluctant acceptance.

"I've never been there either," Fenella admitted, trying to soften the disappointment. "I heard about it, of course. Giant mouse, overpriced everything, and loads of screaming children." Shegrinned to show that she was being deliberately flippant.

"We could go to Universal Studios instead," Jasmine suggested. "It's closer, and they have the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Have you heard of Harry Potter?"

The effect of those words was immediate and electrifying. All four girls straightened up, their eyes widening with excitement.

"Harry Potter?" Azadeh repeated, speaking up for the first time that morning. "They have a Harry Potter movie set?"

"Well, yeah." Jasmine looked surprised by their enthusiastic response. "Have you read the books?"

"All of them," Arezoo said with unexpected passion. "Twice."

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