Page 95 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

"Of course." Kyra patted her pocket. "I carried them with me for good luck." She pulled out the velvet pouch and handed it to her daughter. "As promised. I'm returning them to you in person, alive and well."

"Thank you." Jasmine took the pouch and held it to her chest. "I knew they would protect you."

Behind them, Kyra heard her sisters' murmurs of appreciation as they took in the carefully designedcommunity, with its gravel and stone pathways winding between Mediterranean-style homes and manicured greenery.

"It's perfect," Yasmin said softly, the first words Kyra had heard from her since they'd exited the pavilion.

"It is, isn't it?" Soraya agreed, linking arms with her sister. "Hard to believe we will be living in this paradise."

"I keep expecting someone to hand us a bill," Parisa said.

"No bills," Max assured them from Kyra's other side. "Everything is provided free of charge, and you will get an allowance for personal expenses. The clan does expect everyone to contribute in their own way once they're settled, though. There's plenty of work for those who want it, and access to online education for you and the children."

"No school?" one of the boys asked.

"There is a school for those who want to attend, but given that you need to learn English first, homeschooling will probably work better until you have command of the language."

"So, what's that for?" One of the girls pointed at a two-story building.

"That's an office building," Jasmine said. "The one next to it is the clinic, and in front of both is the open-air café, which is the busiest spot in the village. It's closed now, but there are vending machines in theback that serve pretty good coffee, sandwiches, pastries, and snacks."

"Can we go there?" Cyra asked.

"Not now, sweetie." Yasmin put her hand on her daughter's head. "Aren't you curious to see our new home?"

The girl nodded. "Tomorrow then?"

"Yes," Yasmin said. "We can go there tomorrow."

The procession continued down a tree-lined path that led to the residential area. The warm Mediterranean architectural style was consistent throughout, yet each home had unique touches that prevented monotony.

"Here we are," Jasmine announced. "Soraya's girls chose this one."

As the three girls dragged their mother toward the entrance, Kyra watched as Arezoo opened the door and ushered her family inside with the air of someone who already considered it her home.

"No one locks their doors in the village," Jasmine said. "We don't even have keys."

It was nice. A little strange, but as someone who had lived most of her life in tents or half-ruined buildings with no doors. Kyra wasn't used to having keys anyway, so she wouldn't miss them.

They continued down the path, delivering each family to their new residence. Rana and Azadeh were next, then Parisa and her sons, and finally Yasmin and her children. Each home had been thoughtfullyprepared with refrigerators stocked, beds made, meals waiting to be heated.

"The girls helped with everything," Jasmine said as they watched Yasmin and her children disappear into their new home. "They wanted everything to be perfect."

"This place is more perfect than I could have ever imagined," Kyra said, emotion catching in her throat again.

Only she, Max, Jasmine, and Ell-rom remained on the path now, the others having either entered their homes or departed for their own residences elsewhere in the village.

"Is there a home for us?" Kyra asked, turning to Jasmine. "Or am I just going to stay with Max at his house?"

She didn't really care where she was going to spend the night as long as it was with him.

Her daughter smiled, pointing to a house further away. "That one is Ell-rom's and mine," she said, then gestured to the property across the path. "And that one is for you and Max. If you don't like it, we can switch. I haven't gotten attached to mine yet."

The home was similar to her sisters' houses but with subtle differences—a slightly larger front porch and white rose bushes.

"I'm sure I'm going to love it," she said, then looked at Max. "Do you have a preference?"

He smiled. "Home is where you are, love."

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