Page 36

36

FENELLA

A s the elevator doors slid open, they were greeted by an enthusiastic blonde woman with a body that looked like it had been specifically designed to make other women feel inadequate. She was dressed in a tailored skirt suit that hugged every curve, balanced on sky-high heels that should have been impossible to walk in, and her hair was styled into a perfectly sleek French twist.

"Welcome, welcome to the village!" she trilled, her voice carrying across the underground garage with theatrical projection. "I'm Ingrid, the clan's interior designer and housing coordinator."

Fenella instantly disliked her. Anyone that well put together and cheerful had to be hiding something sinister beneath their glossy exterior.

"I'm so sorry the full welcome committee couldn't be here," Ingrid continued, managing to sound both apologetic and thrilled at once. "We'll have a proper reception when the rest of the family arrives. So much excitement! New residents are such a treat!"

Jasmine stepped forward, extending her hand. "Thank you for meeting us, Ingrid. The girls are so excited to see the village and check out potential residences."

"Of course they are!" Ingrid took Jasmine's hand in both of hers. "And I have some absolutely perfect options for you. But first, introductions are in order." She turned to Fenella. "You must be Fenella." Ingrid offered her hand.

"Nice to meet you." Fenella shook it, surprised by the strength of Ingrid's grip, before reminding herself that everyone in the village was immortal and just as strong as she was.

The female moved to shake the girls' hands, addressing each one by name, which meant that she'd prepared ahead of time, and that made Fenella dislike her a little less.

People who were willing to put in the work deserved credit.

"Shall we begin with the tour?" Ingrid pressed the button for the elevator with a finger that was topped by a very long, elaborately decorated nail.

The designer noticed her looking, smiled and offered a better view of her fingernail. "I've had them done today." She cast a sidelong glance at Jasmine. "Angelica did them for me. Aren't they fabulous?"

"They are," Jasmine agreed just as the elevator doors opened .

Fenella detected a note of something there, wondering who Angelica was.

"This lift will take us directly to the glass pavilion," Ingrid explained as they stepped inside.

The elevator was spacious and silent, rising so smoothly that Fenella barely felt the movement. When the doors opened, they stepped into what could only be described as a glass jewel box perched on a mountaintop.

"Bloody hell," Fenella muttered under her breath.

The pavilion was made completely out of glass, offering views of the village beyond that were steeped in greenery. The morning sunlight streamed in, making the polished stone floor gleam like water.

"Wow," Laleh breathed. "It's beautiful!"

Along the perimeter of the space, illuminated glass cases displayed an array of artifacts—ancient-looking pottery, stone tools, fragments of what appeared to be clay tablets and several statues of different sizes.

Arezoo approached one of the displays, peering at a clay tablet covered in hieroglyphs. "What are these?"

Ingrid walked over to her in her impossible heels. "One of our residents is an amateur archaeologist. These are some of his finds from digs. He has so many of them and it would be a shame to keep this treasure in storage accumulating dust, so we've turned this space into a private museum for our village. The displays are changed every couple of months, so it never gets old." She chuckled. "Well, older than it already is."

"Are those real?" Donya asked, pressing her nose against the glass case containing a necklace made of lapis lazuli.

"Very real and very valuable," Ingrid confirmed. "Some pieces date back thousands of years."

Fenella wandered over to a case containing a small bronze figurine that reminded her of artifacts she'd seen in museums in Greece. "Seems risky to keep valuable artifacts in glass boxes."

Ingrid's perfect smile didn't falter. "No one in our village takes what doesn't belong to them." She frowned. "Well, except that whole episode with Drova, but that was just teenage rebellion." She turned to the girls. "Despite all the mischief, Drova is a good kid. You've met her. She was part of the rescue team that got you out of that horrible place."

"I don't remember much," Arezoo said. "Was she the one with the wounded shoulder?"

"Yes." Ingrid smiled. "That's the one."

"We owe her a big thank you," Arezoo said.

"Oh, well. I'm sure she will appreciate it." Ingrid headed toward a pair of sliding doors. "Let's continue our tour, shall we?"

As they stepped outside, Fenella was struck by the perfect temperature—warm without being hot, with a gentle breeze that carried the scent of pine and something floral .

"This way to the square." Ingrid led them along a path paved with natural stone.

The path opened onto a plaza surrounded by several buildings and meticulously landscaped gardens.

"This is our village square," Ingrid explained, performing a graceful turn that somehow incorporated a sweeping gesture toward the surrounding structures. "That two-story building over there houses our administrative offices. Next to it is our clinic. And that," she pointed to a charming outdoor café with wrought iron tables and chairs, "is where many gather for coffee, sandwiches, and pastries. When it is closed, you can still get all those things from the vending machines in the back." She motioned behind the small structure that was the service center of the café.

There, along a green wall, stood four vending machines. One for hot drinks, one for cold, one with sandwiches and pastries, and the fourth with an assortment of snacks.

Several people were seated at the café, sipping from steaming paper cups and engaged in conversation. They glanced up as the group passed, offering friendly nods and waves.

Ell-rom leaned over to whisper something to Jasmine, and when she nodded, he turned to the rest of them. "I'm going to leave you alone to continue your tour. I want to visit my twin sister. "

Oh, that was sweet of him. He was such a nice guy.

"Perhaps you can invite Morelle over to the café later," Jasmine suggested.

He nodded. "I'll offer. Perhaps Brandon would like to join us as well."

"Of course." Jasmine kissed his cheek.

After he left, Ingrid kept walking. "We keep the village pedestrian friendly. Most of the time we just walk from place to place, but we use golf carts for transporting goods or luggage. They're quiet and don't disrupt the peaceful atmosphere."

As they continued past the square, Fenella noticed a playground where several children were playing.

"Most of the younger kids in the village are from recent arrivals," Ingrid said, following her gaze. "Aren't they marvelous?"

Several mothers were supervising the kids from nearby benches. There was something different about their appearance that was evident even from a distance. They too offered nods as the group passed, but no smiles.

Fenella remembered then where she'd seen people who looked like them. The warriors that had saved her, Kyra, and the girls had those enormous black eyes and willowy bodies.

Their kind didn't smile much, and she'd noticed that already.

"Are these mothers and children the same people as the warriors who rescued us? "

Smiling, Jasmine laid her hand on her forearm. "They are."

"Does everyone here know each other?" Fenella asked. "Seems like a fishbowl."

Jasmine nudged her. "The village is larger than it appears. There are several different sections."

"Precisely," Ingrid said. "But we do know each other despite having nearly five hundred residents at this time."

"That's not so many," Azadeh remarked.

"Quality over quantity, darling," Ingrid said with a wink. "Now, let me show you the residential area where we have homes available for your family."

They followed her down another winding path that led away from the village center. The surroundings became more wooded, with homes nestled tastefully among the trees. Unlike the cookie-cutter developments Fenella had seen in suburban areas, these houses had character while maintaining a cohesive aesthetic.

"All our homes are single-story," Ingrid explained as they walked. "There are several exterior designs that repeat throughout the village, but with slight changes of colors and different plants in the front yards, we ensured that each house has its individual flavor. Most have either two or three bedrooms, and some include a detached guest house."

The girls had grown increasingly animated as they progressed through the village, their initial wariness giving way to curiosity and excitement. Even Arezoo, who typically maintained a stoic demeanor, looked impressed.

"Here we are," Ingrid announced, stopping before a cluster of houses. "These previously housed Guardians who have since relocated to another section of the village. They're in perfect condition—barely lived in at all."

The homes had a Mediterranean aesthetic—stucco walls in warm cream tones and wood doors with stone surrounds. They looked brand new to Fenella's eye, without a crack, peel, or discoloration in sight.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Jasmine asked. "Girls, what do you think?"

"Can we look inside?" Laleh asked.

"Of course!" Ingrid opened the door. "Let's start with this one. It's a three-bedroom."

"No locks?" Fenella asked.

"No need." Ingrid led them inside. "If you want, you can install a chain to lock it from the inside, but no one bothers. As I said, the village is very safe."

The interior was beautifully done. Earth tones, soft fabrics, and decorative pieces were perfectly coordinated without looking matchy-matchy. It required a real talent to put things together like that.

"This is beautiful," Donya breathed, running her hand along a smooth granite countertop. "It's like something from the movies."

"Ingrid did all the interiors," Jasmine said.

"You have excellent taste," Fenella admitted grudgingly. "Very coordinated without looking too obvious. I could never accomplish something like this."

Ingrid beamed at the compliments. "Thank you. I strive for timeless elegance combined with modern comfort. Each home has its own character while maintaining cohesion with the village aesthetic."

As they moved through the bedrooms, the girls whispered excitedly.

The two smaller bedrooms each contained a queen-sized bed, while the master suite had a king.

"You two will share," Arezoo told Laleh and Donya, who nodded enthusiastically.

"We can replace the queen bed with two singles in whichever room the girls prefer," Ingrid offered.

After touring several more houses with similar layouts, some with only two bedrooms and others with three, the girls had reached a consensus on their favorites. Their excitement was palpable as they discussed which bedroom would belong to whom.

"What about me?" Fenella asked Ingrid. "Do I get my own place, or am I bunking with one of the happy families?"

"I can arrange a house for you alone, though most single residents share accommodations."

"I don't mind sharing," Fenella said. "I'm not even sure I'll stay long-term. Looks nice enough, but a bit too contained for my taste."

"You'll find there's more to village life than first appears," Ingrid assured her with a knowing smile. "Would you like to see more housing options?"

Fenella considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "Everything looks great, and I'm not picky." There was no point getting attached to a place she probably wouldn't use for long.

Once the girls had decided not only on which houses would be theirs but also which would be perfect for the aunts and cousins, and Jasmine had snapped at least a hundred pictures with her phone, Ingrid led them to a different section of the village.

"Just to prove to you that the village isn't boring, I want to show you the bar and the restaurant." She showed them something that looked like a hobbit residence. "My partner runs the bar," Ingrid said with evident pride. "It's only open on weekends, but it's very popular. We have live music occasionally when the boys are up to entertaining us, and the cocktails are always excellent." She smiled at Jasmine. "Maybe you could sing for us sometime?"

"I would love to."

"Perhaps this place isn't completely hopeless after all," Fenella muttered.

Next, Ingrid showed them the village's only restaurant, an elegant space with both indoor and outdoor seating areas.

"Callie serves dinner only," she explained. "Perhaps if she can get more help in the kitchen, she could open for lunch as well. "

"Don't look at me." Fenella raised her hands in the air. "I can't cook, and I'm a menace in the kitchen."

By the time they'd completed their circuit and returned to the café in the village square, Fenella's feet were aching, and her stomach was growling. The girls, however, seemed energized by everything they'd seen, chattering excitedly as they combined two tables into one and arranged chairs around them.

"I'll order for everyone," Jasmine offered. "Any special requests?"

As the others placed their orders, Fenella scanned the café's other patrons. Several males were sitting at nearby tables, and she didn't miss the appreciative glances sent her way. One particularly fit specimen with dark hair and impressive shoulders caught her eye and offered a friendly smile.

Fenella smiled back, enjoying the familiar dance of attraction. If all the village men looked like that, perhaps staying wouldn't be such a hardship after all.

"Oh!" Ingrid exclaimed suddenly, reaching into her handbag. "I nearly forgot. This is for you, Fenella."

She produced a white box and handed it over. "A phone courtesy of William."

"For me?"

"All clan members get one," Ingrid said. "It's secure, encrypted, and preloaded with essential contacts. "

"I'll show you how to use it," Jasmine offered, seeing Fenella's overwhelmed expression.

"Thanks," Fenella muttered, examining the device. "It has been a while since I owned anything more complicated than a burner phone."

As Jasmine began sending pictures of the houses to Kyra, and the girls continued their excited conversation about their new homes, Fenella's thoughts returned to Din. With her own phone, she could surprise him with a call. If he had her new number, he could call her directly instead of going through Jasmine.

She glanced again at the attractive man who'd smiled at her earlier. He was still watching her with not-so-subtle interest. Fenella raised an eyebrow in acknowledgment, then deliberately turned her attention back to the phone in her hands.

Din deserved a fair chance, she decided. After all, he'd supposedly carried a torch for her for five decades. That kind of dedication deserved at least a phone call.