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“She’s twenty-seven. Not a child,” Ceridwen supplied helpfully. Rhiannon lifted an eyebrow at the information before dunking another chunk of bread in the bisque.

“Florinda had asked to see her ID. She told me she had the impression Lark would balk and not show it, but hers is the cheapest place to stay on the island. It’s an expired Louisiana driver’s license. And she said the last name was too long for her to read.”

“Florinda needs to keep her nose out of other people’s business. And pick up a book,” Seren murmured unkindly as she pushed the soup away from herself and stood up. She couldn’t explain why talking about Lark like this—behind her back—rankled her so much.

“Why, Rennie, this woman really has you all riled up.” Deryn’s eyebrow wiggle was overly suggestive, which made Seren even angrier. She jumped to her feet.

“Der, quit it.” Rhiannon’s surprise intervention was, however, enough to make both of them give each other a sheepish look. Seren sat back down.

“There was no accent to her that I could distinguish. Not that she spoke all that much.” Ceridwen still had not touched her food. Seren looked at her with concern. Ceridwen loved lobster bisque. And Ceridwen had lost weight since last summer, her clothes hanging a little baggy on her already willowy frame.

Deryn gave her a shove under the table, her twin clearly thinking the same, before pushing the bowl closer to where Ceridwen’s hands lay on the wooden surface of the table. Seren placed a hunk of bread strategically next to the bowl.

“No, she did not speak much. She was too busy fainting all over the place,” Victoria said and sat down between Deryn and Seren, effectively ending their under-the-table communication. Deryn pouted, Seren rolled her eyes. “Still, she told me enough just now to make me want to hire her. And not just as a charity case. Something tells me she will not be anyone’s charity for much longer.”

“Can we get back to why I left my future wife to handle two anxious beasts in the middle of the damn ridiculous snowstorm and walked all the way across town, risking life and limb? You had a vision, Vicky?”

“Future wife? You proposed?” Ceridwen grabbed hold of Rhiannon’s hand.

“Boleyn and Patches aren’t anxious; they are perfectly calm in all storms. What are you even talking about?” Deryn made a disgusted face at the obvious slander of the cat and possum couple.

“Risk life and limb? Only because you insist on wearing ridiculous footwear! And you walked one block.” Seren could not help but butt in.

Then Deryn pipped up again, her face suddenly a mixture of embarrassment and mischief.

“What do you mean you’re not engaged yet? I told everyone she’s your fiancee⁠—”

Rhiannon jumped up, slapping Deryn’s shoulder.

“So it was you! I was wondering who went rogue tattling to the Caw⁠—”

Victoria’s loud tsk made them all fall quiet again.

“I have not proposed. Yet.” Rhiannon sat down, took a breath and her smile was tender, but her look at Victoria was uncomprehending. “So why am I here?”

“Nobody made you traipse in the middle of a snowstorm anywhere, Rhy. Ceridwen could’ve kept that little tidbit to herself instead of gossiping. Maybe it wasn’t a vision. I don’t know. I just know that this child is troubled and needs my help. Are you all going to scrutinize that to hell and back?”

“Technically, we don’t know anything about her. Florinda seeing some driver’s license, which is literally a nothing burger to falsify, means nothing. Louisiana? Really?” Deryn made a face.

“Excuse me, Miss Hollywood. What’s your problem with Louisiana? And do not go all snobbish so-and-so on me—” Rhiannon interrupted.

“Of all the snobbish people, Rhy, you should not be speaking at all!” Deryn poked Rhiannon in her very expensive cashmere sweater, entirely unsuited for the weather.

“Hey! Rude! I said nothing and I didn’t even get a good look at the girl!” Rhiannon poked right back, making Deryn, whose ticklishness was well known and an easy advantage in any fight since they had been children, jump a foot in the air.

“Goddess, give me strength.” Victoria pressed her fingers to her eyes. “I keep asking why you are here, and nobody has been able to give me a good enough answer to not throw you all out in the snow yet.”

“Well, it’s cold, and you love us. And there are still a few hours before the roads become truly unmanageable, hence we are all here.” Seren tried for a winning smile.

“Me loving you is not a good enough reason, nor are the rest of them. And I swear it’s a hate crime and this snowmaggedon is homophobic if it gets all of you stuck in here with me for the next however many days.” Victoria sighed and tore a little piece of the bread. “Good crumb on this, good texture, Deryn.”

Deryn gaped, and Victoria shook her head.

“Don’t let it go to your head, you are still nosy. Are you all done asking me questions about business that might not be your own?”

“Can we all just focus for a second on the fact that Victoria uses way too many millennial expressions? Who’s teaching her? Hate crime? What?” Seren asked and looked at her sisters accusingly.

Rhiannon stayed silent while the rest lifted their hands up and shook their hands.