Page 59 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

Soraya gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "America? What are they doing there?"

"They saved them," Rana said. "They were saving someone else and found them."

"That's correct," Kyra confirmed, choosing not to mention that the other person rescued was her. "They're being very well cared for, I promise you. I have notes from all of them for you." She reached into her pocket and gave each mother the notes that were addressed to her. "You can read them on the way."

"But we don't have passports," Soraya said. "And the authorities will be looking for us. The moment my husband discovers that I'm missing, he will use every resource to find me."

"The paperwork has been taken care of in advance," Kyra assured them. "We have documentation for all of you. The important thing is to remember to keep your heads down and follow our instructions. You'll be traveling as Yamanu's wives."

Both women's gazes shifted to Yamanu, who stood conferring with Max by the vehicles. Soraya raised an eyebrow, studying him with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity.

"All of us? His wives?" she asked.

Despite the tension, Kyra chuckled. "It's just a cover, and he plays the part beautifully."

Yamanu probably wasn't going to change into the full disguise now because there was no time. He would just use shrouding.

Her sisters understood that in Iran, it raised fewer questions for women to be traveling with their husbands than alone.

Parisa, who had remained quiet during this exchange, looked toward the entrance. "Where are my sons? Shouldn't they have arrived yet?"

"Don't worry. Jade is on her way," Kyra assured her. "They will be here shortly." She hesitated, then addressed Soraya directly. "I need to ask you something. Do you mind leaving without your husband? I mean the real one. Not Yamanu."

The question hung in the air for a moment. Soraya's expression hardened, years of silent suffering briefly visible in the set of her jaw before she composed herself.

"No," she said firmly. "I don't mind at all. I longed for the day I would finally be free of him."

Kyra nodded. "Arezoo mentioned that things weren't good between you, but I needed to make sure. Sometimes kids see things differently."

Soraya laughed without mirth. "Arezoo told you the truth. He's been a tyrant from day one—controlling, cruel—but I had no choice. My father chose him and it was either marry Fareed or else." She let out a breath. "If my girls are in America, that's where I need to be."

Rana touched Soraya's arm in solidarity. "My situation is similar. My husband is not as bad as Fareed, but he doesn't love me. He has a mistress and spends more time with her than he ever spends with me. He blames me for not giving him more children, particularly a son." She looked away. "I think he's planning to divorce me anyway." She sighed. "My place is with my Azadeh. I have nothing keeping me here."

The naked vulnerability in their admissions struck Kyra deeply. After talking with their daughters, she'd known intellectually what her sisters had endured, but hearing it from their own lips made it viscerally real.

"You'll never have to see them again," she promised. "A new, joyous life awaits you in America."

29

KYRA

The sound of an approaching vehicle drew everyone's attention, and Kyra's hand instinctively moved to her weapon but relaxed when Max said, "That's Jade."

An old Saipa Tiba pulled into the warehouse, and a moment later, Jade opened the driver-side door and stepped out. Four boys of varying ages tumbled out after her, their eyes wide with fear and confusion until they spotted their mother.

"Maman!" the youngest cried, breaking into a run.

Parisa fell to her knees, arms wide, as all four boys crashed into her embrace. She held them fiercely, murmuring soothing words, her hands checking each of them as if ensuring they were whole and unharmed.

"We need to move, people," Yamanu announced, his voice cutting through the emotional reunion. "Everyone into the vehicles. Rana and Soraya withme and Dima. Parisa, the boys, and Kyra with Max and Jade."

The sisters exchanged looks, reluctant to separate after just finding each other again, but none of the vehicles were big enough to carry all of them along with someone who could shoot.

They must have realized that because no one argued, except for Soraya, who for a moment looked like she was about to protest but then seemed to think better of it. Instead, she turned to Kyra. "Thank you for coming for us. I don't understand everything that's happening, but I know you saved my daughters." She hesitated, studying Kyra's face with furrowed brows. "There's something familiar about you."

Kyra felt a hitch in her chest, a sudden longing to tell the truth. But now wasn't the time. "We can talk more once we're safely away," she promised.

Soraya nodded, but her expression suggested she wouldn't forget. With one last embrace for Parisa and a quick touch to each of the boys' heads, she followed Yamanu.

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