Dames couldn’t help but grumble.
“Dames!”
Felicity’s voice rang out, and Dames shot to his feet.
“Flick! Where have you been? You’re late!”
“Because I went to get you this!”
With a flourish, Felicity pulled a sleek black crossbow from behind her back.
“Whoa!” Dames‘ eyes lit up at the sight of the weapon.
Felicity grinned, knowing exactly how much Dames loved anything like this–while Selene wouldn’t even let him touch a crossbow, let alone own one.
“Now that you’ve got a real crossbow, don’t you feel like a total badass?”
Dames snatched it up instantly, striking a dramatic pose as if aiming at a distant target.
“Flick, where are my arrows? I need arrows!”
Felicity handed him a quiver filled with finely crafted steel bolts.
Dames ran his fingers lovingly over the cold metal, practically glowing with excitement. “Finally! No more plastic nonsense! Flick, you’re the best!”
“Boys need to play with the real deal–real crossbows, real arrows! That’s how you grow up tough.”
He wasted no time loading a bolt, then started pointing the crossbow around the room, eyes shining with mischief.
Felicity’s gaze shifted to Daph.
She asked, “Daph, isn’t your mom supposed to be here to pick you up?”
Daph didn’t look up. “Mom’s busy. She’ll be here soon.”
Felicity huffed. “Honestly! Some people have no sense of responsibility!”
She stepped outside and dialed Harrison.
“It’s getting late, and Selene still hasn’t shown up for Daph. I can literally hear your daughter’s stomach rumbling. I can’t get through to Selene either. Should
1/3
find
her at her brother’s gym?”
“No need. I’ll pick up Daph myself.”
Harrison’s voice was as cold and biting as a winter blizzard.
Felicity knew there was no point checking the gym–Selene hadn’t left the Shaw estate since she’d arrived.
So what was Selene doing with Adrian that had made her forget to pick up Daph from school?
At the Shaw estate-
Selene finished scribbling her last answer just as the clock ran down. She’d started the second section of the exam almost three hours behind the others, but she
made it.
Staring at the computer screen; she clicked submit, letting out a long breath.
She’d made it! She could feel it in her bones: she was finally taking control of her own fate. Everything would change after this.
But her relief lasted only a second–one glance at the time on the screen, and she jumped from her seat.
Daph was still at preschool!
She needed to go-now.
Selene barely remembered to grab her bag, rushing out the door. Adrian met her in the hallway, holding a mug of freshly made milk.
“Finished your test?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Selene answered quickly, already pulling on her shoes.
“You’re going to pick up Daph?”
“My phone was on silent. She called, but I didn’t hear it.”
Her voice was tight with guilt. The plan had been simple: drop Daph at preschool, then come home for the math competition, wrap up by three in the afternoon.
But a sudden power outage at Azure Vista Villas had cost her nearly three Now, the thought of Daph waiting alone made her heart pound with anxiety.
“I tried to get in touch with your brother–the big guy, Holloway or whatever his
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10:23
name is. Not sure if he picked up Daph or not, Adrian said.
Selene’s head snapped up. “My brother went to get Daph?”
Adrian smiled gently. “Yeah. You were in the middle of your exam, so I didnt want to disturb you.”
Just as she was about to sigh in relief, Adrian’s phone rang.
He answered, and the warmth faded from his eyes. “Oh? He’s there? Okay. Got it.”
Adrian hung up and turned to Selene. “Harrison’s at the school now. He’s not letting Luke Holloway take Daph.”
Selene’s expression sharpened. “I’m going there right now.”
“I’ll come with you.”
Selene hesitated–it was, after all, a family matter.
Adrian tossed her the keys to his Solarius. “You drive, alright? Let me ride shotgun
for once.”
10:23
