Page 101 of Dark Rebel's Fortune

"I bet." Soraya gave her a thorough once-over, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "You look good, Kyra. A good night's sleep did wonders for you."

"Aunt Kyra," one of the girls said. "Look at my new dress."

All the children were dressed in new clothing—nice button-down shirts and trousers for the boys, and pretty dresses for the girls.

"Jasmine has a good eye," Yasmin said.

She was also dressed in a new outfit, a long flowing skirt and a loose blouse that skimmed her plump body without clinging or making her look fuller than she was.

"Thank you," Jasmine said. "We should hurry up, or you will be late for your own party."

"Shall we?" Max suggested, offering Kyra his arm with exaggerated formality that made the younger children giggle.

As their family began walking toward the village center, Kyra felt the warm sun on her face and smiled, feeling contented in a way she had never felt before. It was a beautiful day, warm but not hot, with a gentle breeze carrying the scent of flowers and the distant ocean.

"This place is like paradise," Parisa remarked, her usual pragmatic manner softened by wonder. "I keep expecting to wake up and find we're still in Tehran."

"It's so strange," Rana said. "Having our big sister look younger than all of us. Though I suppose we'll get used to it, especially if we all transition at some point and turn back the clock." She chuckled. "I wouldn't mind losing the wrinkles and the gray hairs."

Kyra looked closer at her sister's head. "You don't have gray hair."

"They are there. I've been plucking them out."

It suddenly dawned on her that Rana had said those things in front of the children.

"Have you told the kids?" she asked quietly.

Yasmin nodded. "Arezoo prepared three different versions of the story according to their genders and ages. She made it much easier for us."

Kyra shot her niece an appreciative glance. "Thank you."

Arezoo nodded. "I figured Aunt Yasmin and Aunt Parisa would need help with that. It's much easier to explain it to the boys. I had more trouble making a good story for the girls."

"How did they take it?" Max asked.

Arezoo chuckled. "Kids are much more accepting of fantastic stories than adults. They are now convinced that all the superheroes are immortals and therefore real people."

That actually made sense.

As they neared the village center, the sounds of music and laughter grew louder, and when they turned a final corner, they found the village green transformed.

Tables draped in white cloths were arranged in rows, surrounding a large area that was clear save for a small podium. The music was coming from loudspeakers, and buffet tables laden with food were arranged on one side of the green.

"Wow," breathed one of Parisa's sons, his eyes wide at the spectacle. "Is this all for us?"

"It is," Jasmine said, resting a hand on his shoulder. "To welcome you and your family to the village."

"Awesome," said Parisa's eldest.

"This way, everyone." Jasmine led them toward the center.

When people rose to their feet and walked over to introduce themselves, Kyra rushed to translate, but Jasmine stopped her.

"They all got earpieces and the newly designed teardrop that is now a pin the size of a quarter. They were delivered this morning."

Kyra let out a breath. "That was very thoughtful. Who should I thank for that?"

Jasmine laughed. "William, of course. It could have been done by one of his teams, but he was the one who gave the instructions."