Page 75 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

"Callie serves dinner only," she explained. "Perhaps if she can get more help in the kitchen, she could open for lunch as well."

"Don't look at me." Fenella raised her hands in the air. "I can't cook, and I'm a menace in the kitchen."

By the time they'd completed their circuit and returned to the café in the village square, Fenella's feet were aching, and her stomach was growling. The girls, however, seemed energized by everything they'd seen, chattering excitedly as they combined two tables into one and arranged chairs around them.

"I'll order for everyone," Jasmine offered. "Any special requests?"

As the others placed their orders, Fenella scanned the café's other patrons. Several males were sitting at nearby tables, and she didn't miss the appreciative glances sent her way. One particularly fit specimen with dark hair and impressive shoulders caught her eye and offered a friendly smile.

Fenella smiled back, enjoying the familiar dance of attraction. If all the village men looked like that, perhaps staying wouldn't be such a hardship after all.

"Oh!" Ingrid exclaimed suddenly, reaching into her handbag. "I nearly forgot. This is for you, Fenella."

She produced a white box and handed it over. "A phone courtesy of William."

"For me?"

"All clan members get one," Ingrid said. "It's secure, encrypted, and preloaded with essential contacts."

"I'll show you how to use it," Jasmine offered, seeing Fenella's overwhelmed expression.

"Thanks," Fenella muttered, examining the device. "It has been a while since I owned anything more complicated than a burner phone."

As Jasmine began sending pictures of the houses to Kyra, and the girls continued their excited conversation about their new homes, Fenella's thoughts returned to Din. With her own phone, she could surprise him with a call. If he had her new number, he could call her directly instead of going through Jasmine.

She glanced again at the attractive man who'd smiled at her earlier. He was still watching her with not-so-subtle interest. Fenella raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment, then deliberately turned her attention back to the phone in her hands.

Din deserved a fair chance, she decided. After all, he'd supposedly carried a torch for her for five decades. That kind of dedication deserved at least a phone call.

37

KYRA

Kyra tensed as she heard footsteps approaching from the back of the plane. She turned around to see Soraya making her way over.

Her sister stopped by her seat. "When are you going to tell us what's really going on?"

Kyra took a deep breath. "I'd like to wait until the children are asleep so we can talk freely. There is a lot to cover, and most of it is not for their ears."

Soraya studied her face for a long moment before finally nodding. "Makes sense. The children have been through enough today already." Then she squeezed Kyra's shoulder. "I'm not a patient woman, but I'll contain my curiosity until then."

Kyra smiled. "Thank you."

She watched her sister walk back to her seat. The confrontation had been briefer than Kyra hadexpected, but it was only a momentary reprieve, and the full reckoning still awaited her.

How was she going to even start? With the past that she couldn't remember? She'd reconstructed some of it from what Jasmine and Durhad had said, but it might be so full of mistakes and inconsistencies that it would sound like lies to her sisters.

"Are you okay?" Max asked. "You look frazzled. That's not an expression I'm used to seeing on you."

She smiled. "Navigating family dynamics is scarier to me than facing Doomers and dodging bullets."

He chuckled. "I hear you. I'd rather fight than listen to my mother's lectures."

"Is she that bad?"

He laughed. "Not at all. I like to exaggerate. But she's fierce and opinionated, and she's not happy about me returning to the Guardian Force. She liked it most when I was pursuing an acting and singing career."

"I can understand that," Kyra said. "She wants to see you safe and happy and not engaged in dangerous activities that expose you to the ugliness of this world instead of its beauty." She sighed. "The problem is that once you are exposed to it, you can't in good conscience do nothing about it. Not if you have the ability to make a positive change."

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