Lily offered her a small shrug then turned to the back of the wagon. “I think I'll just take a look around, see where we're at,” she murmured, pulling open the canvas flaps and climbing onto the back ledge, allowing the flaps to fall closed behind her.
Josselyn stared after her. There was something about that girl... she just couldn't quite put her finger on it. She turned back toward the others, Rosemary and Violet still holding the blanket as Alex changed into a fresh pair of clothes.
“I have to say, for sisters, she doesn't look much like the rest of you. Does she favor your mother?”
“Lily isn't our sister by blood,” Dahlia replied, her face softening and a touch of wistfulness creeping into her voice. “We adopted her into our family five years ago, just before Mami... just before our mother passed away.”
Josselyn winced, wishing she hadn't been quite so blunt. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories.”
Dahlia waved her hand, dismissing Josselyn's concerns.
“It's fine, really. It's not an uncommon question, given how much Lily stands out when she's with us. Rose, Vi, and I all take after our mother, who was Kalo, or a gypsy to people on the outside who see them all as thieves and wastrels, which they're not.”
“I'm well aware of that truth,” Josselyn interjected, looking over at Alex, who had pulled the blanket down, having finished changing. She caught his eye and held it, as she added, “Alex's family were Kalo, and he's one of the finest men of my acquaintance.” He dipped his head in acknowledgment, and she turned back to Dahlia, her brows raised in curiosity.
“So, how did you end up taking Lily in?”
“Mami was ill, and Papa took us all to the Eastern Islands. The air there is supposed to be the freshest in the world, and the waters have been known to cure many ailments.”
She paused, studying the wagon flaps that Lily had disappeared through.
“While we were there, Mami insisted on taking a day trip out to one of the smallest islands known as 'Orphan Island'. Several years ago, Dolores Fairway, an unmarried heiress, built a home there for the islands' orphans. It was a beautiful place, full of laughter and love.”
“We were hiking around the island, pushing Mami around in her wicker wheelchair, when we heard someone singing in the clearest, sweetest soprano I'd ever heard. We stopped to listen, and by the end, Mami was in tears. When we found Lily sitting on a rock, with the sun shining on her face, she looked just like an angel. Mami begged her to come with us, to be a part of our family.”
Dahlia dropped her gaze. “She did, but I've always thought it was more for Mami than for herself. She could tell Mami was dying and wanted to be a comfort to her. I don't think she would have left the island, otherwise.”
“She's always been the best of us,” Rosemary added softly.
“How old was she when you took her in?” Josselyn asked.
“Fourteen.”
Josselyn reared back in surprise, glancing over to see her own shock mirrored in Alex's face, as well. “Fourteen?! But didn't you say that was five years ago?” She looked around at the women's faces, wondering if they were messing with her. “Are you telling me that tiny, little slip of a girl is nineteen years old?!”
“I'm a late bloomer.”
Josselyn let out a yelp of surprise, as Lily slipped back inside the wagon.
Looking around at her sisters, she added sternly, “And I have never once regretted coming with all of you. You're my family, and don't you forget it.” With that, she turned to Josselyn and Alex, her expression serious.
“There are riders approaching from the west, and there's a good chance they're Antoski scouts. Prepare yourselves.”
A shiver ran down Josselyn's spine as she thought of the consequences they'd be facing should the Antoski discover her among these people. Clenching her fists, she steeled herself for the inevitable meeting.
“You'd best have this back, Your Highness, you may have need of it soon.”
She looked up to see Alex holding out her dagger. “I thought I'd lost it,” she gasped, taking the weapon with a grateful smile. “Thank you.” She dropped it into one of the dresses deep pockets, the weight of it reassuring against her side.
He gave her a crooked smile. “You must have dropped it when that beast came flying out of nowhere. The sight of it was enough for anyone to pass out.”
“When the...what came out?” She wrinkled her forehead, straining to remember the events in the forest that had led up to her losing consciousness.
Alex started to answer but stopped at the sound of hooves coming up behind them. He immediately turned serious, his hand moving to his sword. Dahlia shot him a warning look.
“Remember, we don't know anything about what's happened at the castle. Josselyn here is our grandmother, Evelyn, and you're our faithful guard, Brutus. We're on our way to perform in Tallis. Got it?”
He nodded, his face slipping into its usual, stoic mask. Josselyn took a deep breath and allowed her shoulders to hunch, affecting what she hoped was an elderly air.
“So, tell me dearies, what kind of performance should your grandmama be expecting, hmm? I do so love a good show.”
Chapter Seventeen
The wagon slowed without stopping as a group of men on horseback surrounded it, one man riding up next to Hiram at the front.
“Ho, there! A moment of your time, please, sir.”
“What's this all about? You'll spook the horses crowding them like that,” Hiram responded in his usual gruff tones. Josselyn strained her ears to listen, wishing she could see what was going on.
“Terribly sorry about that. If you could pull to the side, I'm sure we can have this all sorted out in no time. It's not my intention to put you out.”
Hiram grunted. “Sort what out? What do
