The Iron Flower

  I make the Ancient One’s star sign over her heart. “There,” I emphatically state. “Protected.”

  Some of the fear in her eyes softens. Snuggling back in with her, I shake off my own edge of apprehension and stroke Clover’s messy hair, drawing comfort from being close to my sisters. My own room is next door, but we often gravitate toward being with each other, especially on stormy nights like this.

  And we’ll always be together, I remind myself, a glimmer of relief passing through me as I remember Father’s plans for all three of us. And maybe Tobias Vasillis will be as nice as Rafe and have his same lovely, emerald eyes. Perhaps he’ll carve me a small bird, like Rafe once did, and tell me funny stories.

  The storm rages and the darkness presses in around us, but I focus on these bolstering thoughts as the little white birds bob overhead, gently lulling me to sleep.

  Copyright © 2018 by Laurie Forest

  ISBN-13: 9781488030505

  The Iron Flower

  Copyright © 2018 by Laurie Forest

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