––––––––

THE EXTRA DAY AT A private resort near the ocean with beautiful mountains in the background proved to be just what everyone needed. They took time to put the episode of David’s mountain experience and Sarita’s life and death battle to rest.

All the women, as well as David and the twins, made use of the resort’s spa for massages. Jasmine, Asia, and a few of the others had facials, body wraps, and their hands and feet done. Lunch and dinner were both festive affairs with everyone dancing in the lounge later that night. David had been all over the place taking pictures and promised to give everyone copies.

It had been fun. Sarita would store the memories in a special place in her heart for as long as she lived.

They entered the compound the next day after saying goodbye to Adam and Bella, who decided to go with him, at the airport earlier that morning.

Jacques met them with a smile and greeted Sarita, David, and Cain, with a long embrace. Upstairs, the twins picked up their pups from Victoria. Asia, Hawke, the twins, Cain, and La Patron left for work. Renee, Storm, Jackie, and Quinn left for previously made plans.

They would all meet for lunch later at La Patron’s.

Sarita’s brothers, Wyatt and Kayden, both with jet-black shoulder-length hair and light-brown eyes, had been excited to see her. She and David spent most of the morning hanging with them, reassuring them that she was alright.

They accepted the news of another sibling with grace and spoke briefly to Kim on a video chat along with Sarita. After tears of gratitude and promises to get together after the wedding, Sarita and Kim disconnected. Kim never asked about Hawke and David advised Sarita to let it alone. At this point, if Kim and Hawke wanted a relationship, they could work it out on their own.

Accepting he was right, she focused on her brothers. “I can’t believe how much they’ve grown.” The boys were as tall as David and still growing. “Wonder if Dad was this big?”

“Don’t know. But these two are a mixture of Hawke and Asia, it’s no telling what they’ll be able to do. Already, they’ve broken every school record in sports and combat. Angus wants them to train with KnightForce, but Asia said they’re too young. I think she wants them to have as normal a childhood as they can.”

“No doubt,” she said watching a tape of Kayden and Wyatt during a fighting competition. “They’re really good.” She looked at David. “Alpha material?”

“Without question. I think Hawke’s preparing for it,” David said.

“Mom?”

“I don’t know. She’s hard to read,” he said.

“Dad’s agreed to allow us to go visit Uncle Niall when we spend time with Nana and Pops. Are you going to be there?” Kayden asked flopping on the seat next to her and pulling her from beneath David’s arm into his own.

David’s brow rose.

Wyatt sat next to David and leaned his head on his shoulder. David knew something was up.

“I don’t know,” Sarita said, removing Kayden’s arm to return to David.

“Are you having a wedding too?” Wyatt asked, appearing serious.

“Is being mated the same as being married?” Kayden asked.

Sarita’s looked from one to the other.

“Being mated is the joining of two spirits, one ceases without the other,” David said in a no-nonsense voice. Weddings can be annulled, people divorced. There’s no divorcing between mates.”

Wyatt nodded. “Is it true La Patron’s sending you as Alpha in Canada?”

“What?” David frowned wondering where they had gotten that idea.

“It’s what everyone’s talking about in school. Either you or Tyrese will be Canada’s Alpha. Is it true?” Kayden asked.

“No. Have you seen how big Canada is?” David read the disappointment in their gazes and tried to lighten the atmosphere.

“Yeah, not that many of us live there though, one Alpha should be enough,” Wyatt said.

David shook his head at their misconception. “When you begin Alpha training, you’ll learn that all the land has to be covered because Pack can live and survive everywhere. Alphas are responsible for the many and the few.” He didn’t say anything else. The two looked at him and then each other, no doubt conferring.

“You said when we begin... have you heard something?” Kayden asked.

“No. But I believe it’s just a matter of time, don’t you?” he looked at Wyatt and then Kayden. “Your names mean warrior.”

They exhaled and nodded. “I thought so but wasn’t sure. I enjoy fighting more than the diplomatic stuff. Kayden’s better at that than me,” Wyatt said. “Maybe we could both be Alphas over the same area, or I could be his beta.”

David held up his hands with a smile. “That’s La Patron’s call, not mine. He’ll access your abilities and place you in the best position for the Pack.”

“True. Niall is an Alpha. He said Dad was supposed to be the Alpha of their pack. Wonder if they’ll want us to be Alphas?” Wyatt said, looking at Kayden.

David stiffened. “Who’s your Alpha?”

Wyatt frowned. “La Patron.”

“Then don’t consider that kind of question without his permission,” David said seriously.

“Yes, Sir,” Wyatt said automatically and stood. “Wasn’t thinking. You’re right. Sometimes I say things... sorry.” He walked out the room.

“He didn’t mean it,” Kayden told David. “Don't tell.”

“I wouldn’t, he’s my brother. I’m just looking out for him.” David leaned forward. “Alpha Barticus has Alphas all over Europe, chances are he’ll want both of you to consider joining him. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s supposed to be discussed between Alpha’s first, that’s a part of making sure you’re taken care of. Everything needs to be above board, clear, no side deals or swindles. See what I’m saying?”

Kayden nodded. “Yeah. We’re nowhere near ready for anything like that anyway, Wyatt’s just trying to impress you. We both are.” He smiled and looked at Sarita. “You’ve mated La Patron’s last single pup, the cool-dude everyone knows will be an Alpha somewhere soon.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek, stood and left.

“Seems I’ve bagged the prize,” Sarita said leaning her head on David’s shoulder. “Instead of singing praises of me to you, they’re telling me I’m lucky.”

“You are.”

She elbowed him.

He chuckled and kissed her, deep.

“Then again, so am I,” he murmured after they broke apart. “They don’t understand how special you are. I knew the moment I first saw you, just couldn’t figure out why.”

Comfortable, she took his hand as she snorted. “You were always bossy, telling me what to do.”

“That’s your version. I remember you telling me what you weren’t going to do. Even when we were young pups, I had to work hard to keep your attention. Guys were always trying to take you from me.”

She smiled. “That’s because they had no idea I was with you. You played it cool until...” She stopped smiling.

“Until the kidnapping. Jackie and Renee still tease me about my melt-down and how I demanded Dad to find you.” He chuckled. “After that, it was on.”

He had changed and made it clear to everyone, she was his. To mess with her, meant taking him on as well. They had fights and break-ups, none that he took seriously but it made Sarita feel as if she had some say in her destiny.

“Mom’s preparing our suite,” he told her. “They’ve already moved my things and put your stuff from the trip with mine. Is there anything you want to move from here?”

She hadn’t thought that far ahead. The idea of them living together, sharing a space, something she’d wondered about for years, sounded awesome. She jumped up. “I didn’t know she was doing that. Is it ready?”

He smiled as he stood, and her heart flipped. “Ready enough. Dad says we can go check it out.” He took her hand. “Tell your brothers you’ll see them tomorrow.”

She frowned. “Tomorrow?”

David pulled her close. “Yes. Tomorrow. The only reason I’m letting you out then is because Renee’s been very clear about your dress fitting scheduled for one, tomorrow. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be seen until it was time to practice for the wedding.”

Grinning, she ran to the back, hugged and kissed her brothers. “Where’s your new place?” Kayden asked as he and Wyatt walked with her.

“Don’t know, haven’t been there yet. I’ll let you know.” She smiled at them.

“Good, this means you’ll be here for a while,” Wyatt said.

“For a while I guess,” she shrugged more interested in being alone with David in their own place than whatever the future held.

David said goodbye to her brothers as he tugged her out the room. They ran to the elevators, laughing for the hell of it, fell inside when it opened. She wrapped her arms around his waist and stared up into his eyes. “I’ve got something special planned for you.”

His brows rose. “You do?”

She nodded, thinking it through. “This will be the first time we’ve made love, since our mating,” she qualified. “That we don’t have to rush. Don’t have a fight or death hanging over our heads or anything.”

“Agreed,” he said as the elevator door opened. They exited and headed to a section of the compound he rarely visited. All his siblings had suites in this area. He’d always remained on another floor not far from their nursery.

She stopped. “Today, I plan to show you how much I love you. How much I’ve always loved you. How much you mean to me.”

“You do that all the time,” he said brushing his thumb across her cheek.

Smiling, she recalled her training at Isodora’s temple. While David and Isodora had been talking, a few of the ladies showed her a few tricks they used to distract Alphas or any male. Even when they explained how to energize her lines, she’d thought of David and couldn’t wait to use them on him.

“Maybe I’m buying into my brother’s hype that I got you. Or you got me,” she raised her hand to stop his objection. “Bottom line, I plan to have you hollering my name.”

He stared at her with a slight grin. “Hollering?”

She grinned. “Yep. I’m going to give it to you so good, you’ll lose your reputation for being the cool, calm one.”

“Am I?” he sounded doubtful.

“Of course.” Eager to explore him, she walked a few paces before realizing he hadn’t moved.

“You know,” he said slowly reaching out to her. “Everyone already knows when it comes to you, I’m not cool or calm.”

“Come on, David, let’s go.” Just thinking about what was going to happen made her core flutter in anticipation.

He grinned. “Alright. Have your way with me, as long as I get to return the favor.”

The look in his eyes made promises she knew he’d keep. David had always enjoyed trying new things and she loved it. She’d bet he was more sexually adventurous than any of his siblings. They stopped in front of a door. He opened it.

“This is ours whenever we’re here,” he said staring down at her.

Giddy with pleasurable excitement, Sarita walked in, looked around and yelped as he picked her up, kicked the door closed and moved quickly down a hall through an open door.

The only thing she saw was the huge bed in the middle of the room. David dropped her on it, removed her clothes first and then his before lying naked on his back.

“I’m yours, take me,” he said.

###

SARITA DIMMED THE LIGHTS, leaned up on her elbow and looked down at him. “In order for this to work, you gotta let me lead. Do what I tell you, okay?” She met his gaze hoping he’d agree, otherwise she’d lose her nerve and it wouldn’t work.

“Okay, I trust you,” he said after their long, soul-deep kiss.

“Thanks, baby,” she said in a breathy rush and leaned back to recall the instructions. Staring at his magnificent body, she became distracted. It was new, yet familiar. She marveled at the hair on his large chest and the strength he now wielded. More than anything in the world she wanted him to know she never meant to hurt him.

Slowly, the words came to her. Silently, she repeated them, sensed the tingly heat in her fingers and met his gaze.

“Look at me,” she whispered as her fingertips grazed his nipples, sending a jolt of pleasure through him.

Eyes widening, his gaze heated as he returned her stare.

She placed her fingertips on both of his nipples.

He jerked, held her hand in place as he moaned low in his throat while the contact rippled through him.

“What is that?” he gasped as his back arched.

“Me giving you pleasure,” she whispered as she ran her fingertips across his chest, playing with his nipples now and then. When he shuddered and pre-cum pooled on his belly, she slid off and kneeled on the bed next to him, watching him take huge gulps of air.

“You’re done?” he asked a few moments later through a clenched jaw.

Fascinated by his arching and movements on the bed, she shook her head. “No, that was the appetizer.” Silently, she repeated a different phrase the women taught her and shivered from the sensual energy racing through her body. Goddess help her to finish without jumping on him.

Grateful his eyes were still closed, she opened one palm over his heart and the other over his cock. She blew on them, releasing pulsating energy.

David’s eyes flew opened as he bucked off the bed and fell back. Tremors raced across his body. His balls tightened and lifted. His cock lengthened as he moaned while rotating his hips on the bed.

“Rita,” he moaned, grabbing her arm. “Need you.”

So far, the ladies teachings had been correct, he was definitely losing his cool, pulling the sheets off the bed. One last piece, but not yet.

Desperate to reconnect, she returned on top. A soft shudder claimed her as she sheathed him completely.

Small beads of perspiration formed on his brow and upper lip. Bending forward she licked his lips and moved back before he claimed a kiss.

“Patience,” she said moving slowly.

He groaned and stared at her. “You feel incredible. I don’t know if I should kiss or spank you. Maybe both.”

Overtaken by intense pleasure, she lifted and eased back on him.

“Please, can I...” he panted trying to say the words. He’d promised to let her lead, but that was before she blew his mind with whatever she was doing with her hands and weird energy. The need to take her became a constant refrain his mind. To sink inside her and reclaim her all over again buffeted him until he thought he’d go insane. “Let me—”

“Yes,” she whispered.

He flipped her over before she changed her mind, lifted one leg and went as deep as he could. Only there, in that spot, would he find some semblance of peace, ease this desperate ache for release within her.

Every time he slammed against her mound, the need for more escalated. Goddess, what have you done to me? His beast roared. Pushing him to take their mate. Her name became his living mantra as his cock pulsed with a need to return to her sheath on every thrust.

“Baby, I love you,” she said and touched his back.

Uncontrollable fire raced through him on a loop as his thrusts deepened, reconnecting them. His body trembled violently as pleasure currents raced over his skin. Images of them flicked through his mind. That first Christmas, the nursery, in school, their first kiss...

“Sarita,” he yelled as his heart filled with bursting over this woman who made his world complete. Links wide open, the hard orgasm thundered through him first and then slammed into her. His body shuddered against hers as wave after wave of pleasure rippled from him to her on a fucking loop he never wanted to stop. With one last shudder, he fell to the side, taking deep breaths.

“What just happened?” his voice came out raspy, breathless.

Tremors wracked Sarita from her fingertips to her toes. She tried to think but couldn’t. They hadn’t warned her about this part, maybe it was because she and David were mated. She experienced everything he had. Whatever happened blew her mind. Her core still throbbed.

He hit the side of the bed with his palm a few times. “That was... I’ve never, when, where did you learn that?”

When she could form coherent thoughts, she placed her hand on his chest and told him what happened in the training room while he was with the Priestess.

“I wanted to do something special for you,” she said softly touching the tip of his nipple.

He shuddered and grabbed her hand. “Baby, you did. That was beyond anything I could’ve imagined.” He turned on his side, placed his finger under her chin so that their gazes met. “I loved it. Didn’t expect it, so you took me by surprise. But even if I had known, I would’ve still screamed your name. You have that effect on me.”

She smiled as his fingertip traced her lip.

“You know this means I have to learn something that’ll turn you out the same way you turned me, right?”

Her eyes widened. “No, I don't think that’s what it means at all. We both shared that, I’m still shaking inside. Still drooling on myself,” she said moving closer. “We’ll learn together, experience it together, don’t go out there looking for weird stuff.” She yawned.

He laughed and kissed the top of her head. “It won’t be weird.”

###

SARITA FELL INTO A deep sleep. Kim appeared in a dream, running around in a green park with three pups. It was difficult to see them clearly, but they appeared happy. Kim extended her hand and Jake took it. The three pups surrounded them, smiling and holding onto their parents.

They waved.

Sarita waved and then realized they weren’t waving at her. A woman with long, curly hair moved toward them. She wasn’t very tall but taller than Kim. She stooped in front of the pups and touched the head of each one. When she stood, she brushed a kiss on Kim’s cheek and hugged Jake.

Who was the strange woman? At that moment she turned and looked at Sarita. Gray eyes, so like her own, smiled at her.

Sarita froze. “Hanna?”

Smiling, she nodded, looked at Kim and her pups and then back at Sarita.

“Why don’t I remember you? Kim remembers you, but I don’t why?” Sarita asked.

Hanna frowned.

“Isodora says my memories are sealed, did you seal them?” Sarita hoped to get answers.

Hanna shook her head.

“Salah, why did you seal my memories?” Sarita asked, not expecting an answer.

“Would you like them released?”

The question startled Sarita awake. She sat up in bed taking several deep breaths and looked at David who lay across the bed, asleep. The question thrummed against her skull, blotting out everything else. She couldn’t escape it.

“Yes.” Sarita bit her lip and squeezed her eyes tight in anticipation. For several seconds, nothing happened. She opened one eye, then the other, looked around and took a deep breath.

A sharp pain pierced her scalp. Her hands flew to her head. The pain drilled down with the efficiency of a Dentist’s tool. Just as soon as it started, it stopped.

Sarita fell back on the bed, gasping for breath as searing pain throbbed through her body. Darkness overtook her vision. She placed her hand in front of her eyes and couldn’t see anything.

“David,” she called afraid. When he didn’t respond, she reached out and shook him.

“Hmm?”

“Wake-up, link with me,” she said.

“What?”

She tried to navigate the darkness and couldn’t. “Help me.” The next second, she sensed him.

“What? What’s this?” he asked.

She gave him a brief outline of her dream and request to Salah. Before she finished she was in a room.

“No,” Sarita whispered as memories drifted back and locked into place.

“Breathe,” David said holding her. “It’s okay.”

She turned and buried her head in his shoulder, but it didn’t stop the memories from unfolding.

“Lock this one down,” a man said pointing at a much younger Sarita. “She’s trouble.”

“But smart,” the other man said as he placed a metal cuff on her legs. “Probably the smartest of his litter so far. Lots of potential, they have big plans for her.”

The other man grunted and locked her in a large metal cage next to another pup. Several pups were in stacked cages in the room.

Sarita shivered at the cold memories. It had been horrible. “Enough. I don’t want to remember,” she whispered. “Turn it off.”

David rubbed her back as he held her close.

A woman, Hanna entered the room, looking around. “Mam,” Sarita yelled.

Hanna placed her finger on her lip as she moved closer.

“Mam,” Sarita yelled, afraid her mam wouldn’t see her. 

“Shh,” her mam said moving closer to the cage and working on the lock. Just as she removed the lock, Sarita leapt forward, wrapped her arms around her mam but her cuffed leg kept her chained to the cage. While her mam worked to remove the cuff, Sarita cried. No matter how much her mam told her to be quiet, fear caused her to cry louder, and harder.

The door opened, the men entered and shot Hanna. She held onto Sarita as another bullet slammed into her. Falling from the volley of bullets, she released Sarita as she hit the ground, staring up at her.

Sarita’s pitiful screams for her mam sent chills down her arms and back.  Hanging upside down, secured by the cuff, she tried to grab her mam and failed. Blood pooled around Hanna and streaked the floor as the men drag her away.

“Mam! Mam, take me, Mam. Don’t leave me. Go with you,” she had begged.

Crying, Sarita clung to David as the pain, fear, and shame slammed into her. She’d been the reason Hanna was killed. If she’d been quiet, obedient, Hanna would’ve lived. She would’ve known Kim.

“Oh, my god, David, did you see that? Did you see what I did?”

“Shh...” he murmured rubbing her back.

Bright lights stabbed her forehead as she woke in an operating room. Fear locked her down. Seeing this hated room again made her flesh crawl, even after all these years.

“No,” she murmured and pressed her face against David’s chest. “I don’t want to see this. They’re going to cut on her, kill her. Please, I don’t want to see it again. Make it stop, please,” she whispered.

“Oh, baby. I’m so sorry, you went through this,” David said holding her close.

“They killed her because she wouldn’t... she wouldn’t tell me to obey them. Instead, she told me Salah would come for me and protect me.” Sarita looked at him.  “She told me about Salah,” she whispered amazed.

He stroked her hair and cupped her cheek. “She loved you very much. I can feel it.”

Sarita nodded. “She died trying to save me and Kim. How could I have forgotten?” She stared at him, searching his gaze for answers. “It’s my fault she was found and killed. They all told me, blamed me, mocked me. Called me names because I...” Dread filled her stomach. She rolled away from him and ran to the bathroom and emptied the contents of her stomach.

“Oh, Goddess.” She sat on the floor as memories of those days when she’d been an outcast. Many days she wished she had died with her mam. They locked her away, to keep her from damaging herself or others. She’d believed every name they called her and receded into a shell of self-loathing.

When rescued, she refused to leave, afraid she’d receive the same punishment her mam received.

Gasping for breath, she cried for her mam. Cried for the problems she’d created. Cried for the lost years with Kim.

David came and sat on the floor behind her, wrapping his arms around her as she released the pain of her past.

“Sarita?” Kim called through their link.

“I just saw it all,” Sarita said. “I saw Mam and what happened. I remember,” she wailed.

“Oh no, where’s David? Is he with you?”

Sarita continued crying.

“I’m here with her,” David told Kim easing in on her link through Sarita.

“She’s got to purge her system, it took me a couple days after my memories were restored,” Kim said.

“Thank you, we appreciate it,” David said.

“What’s going on with Sarita?” Hawke asked David. “She’s not answering me.”

David explained what happened.

“She saw all that? They shot her mam while she held Sarita?” Hawked asked in disbelief.

“Yes. I shared her memories, they are... devastating.”

“Goddess, no,” Hawke whispered. “She was a pup, it’s only natural she would call out to her mam. She wasn’t wrong.”

“I know, I know, I know.” David pulled Sarita close, rocking and offering comfort. He sensed her drifting away and knew he would need help.

“High Priestess Isodora, please my mate needs help,” he called out in desperation.

“David?”

“Yes, I’m losing Sarita, please help us,” he cried out.

Energy swirled around them and they were transported to the court of the High Priestess. He looked up and saw the Priestess move toward them with a concerned expression.

“Salah released her memories,” he said.

Isodora’s hand flew to her mouth, stopping her momentarily. She collected herself and continued forward.

“Sarita,” she said gently. “Look at me.”

David saw the walls of guilt and shame Sarita built in her mind and tried to help her. But his words had no impact. He looked at the Priestess. “Please, please, help her,” he begged, desperate.

Isodora placed her palms on each side of Sarita’s cheeks and closed her eyes.

Linked with Sarita, David saw the moment the High Priestess entered Sarita’s nightmares. Taking Sarita’s hand, Isodora walked with her through the halls of the Liege compound, knocking down walls of misconceptions, and showing Sarita the truth.

Once Salah released Isodora and Hanna, an alarm had gone out to recapture the women. The men had been searching for Hanna and Isodora. With all the noise in the halls, they hadn’t heard Sarita calling out to her mam. It wasn’t her fault that they entered the room when they did.

David took a deep breath of gratitude when he sensed Sarita’s acceptance of Isodora’s explanation. Step by step, moment by moment, she was returning.

In the operating room, the Liege’s plan backfired. They thought Hanna would plead for her life and order her pups to obey the Liege. Instead, she passed on their legacy and encouraged her pups to remain strong, to wait for Salah, and never surrender.

Sarita leaned against him as the entire memory rolled through them. He sensed the love and pride Hanna had for her pups and knew it hurt Sarita that she hadn’t returned it.

“Look at me,” the Priestess told Sarita. “Hanna loved you and Kim more than her life. She did what any mam would do, tried to save her pups. When she couldn’t physically remove you, she gave you the gift of hope. Hope that you would shed the chains of bondage. Hope that you would walk into your legacy. Hope that your life would be better than hers. No one could stamp that out of you, although they tried. Hanna locked the memories of you seeing her death because she didn’t want you to focus on death instead of living. Salah layered the lock to honor her request. Once you asked to know, she released them to you. It was the same for Kim.”

Sarita looked up at Isodora. “Kim asked to know?”

“Years ago,” the Priestess said. “Remember, she lived with our den-mates, people who knew Hanna. She’s always known Hanna was her mam.”

“Oh,” Sarita said.

An uneasy silence filled the space. “Hanna didn’t want you to suffer from seeing her die. She did what she did to protect you,” Isodora said gently.

“It was horrible,” Sarita whispered. “They... they cut her open.” She covered her face as tremors wracked her body.

“They will burn in hell for their actions, you can believe that,” the Priestess said in a hard tone.

“All those cages. I was in a cage, like a pet.” She looked at David. “Did you see it?”

Heartbreaking from the pain in her gaze, he nodded.

“Did you see all the pups?”

“Yes, I saw them.”

Sarita touched his cheek and closed her eyes. “It was beyond horrible. I wanted to die.”

“I’m glad you didn’t. The world needs you. I need you.” He placed a kiss on her forehead and gave thanks to the Goddess for sparing her life.

“I have pictures and films of Hanna; would you like to see them?” the Priestess asked.

For a few moments, Sarita didn’t respond. David thought she would refuse.

“Yes. I’d like to know more about her,” Sarita said, pushing up from the floor to stand. “She saved our lives.”

“You’re so much like her,” the Priestess said and then smiled. “You look like her too. Come, I’ll send for refreshments and we’ll see Hanna.”

Sarita held David’s hand tight as they followed the Priestess. “Did I tell you I saw her already? In my dream, I saw Hanna.”

He nodded but didn’t say anything.

“What if she shows up again?”

“Say hello and tell her I said thank you for saving your life.” He brushed his lips against her forehead.

Sarita leaned against him. “How could I get through this without you? I couldn’t.”

“And you don’t have to, either. We’re one.” He looked around as they entered a room. “Are the ladies who taught you that trick around? Can I talk to them? Maye pick up a few pointers?” He waggled his brows.

Laughing, she pushed against his shoulder. “No and no.”

He pouted and then smiled. “Alright. I’ll just have to talk to Grandfather.”

She gasped. “Don’t you dare. I’d be so embarrassed.”

“Alright. Storm? Maybe Razor? It’s no telling what those two have picked up in their travels,” he teased glad to see her smiling and the dark cloud lifting.

“No. Just stop.” She grabbed his hands and pulled him to the table where the Priestess sat waiting for them.

“Have a seat,” Isodora said as she pointed to a screen on the wall. “When I’m feeling melancholy, I watch these of me and my sister when we were younger. You’ll get an idea of who Hanna was, and I hope come to love and appreciate her as much as I do.”

Sarita smiled and watched the screen. “Thank you for sharing them with us.”