The car rolled to a slow stop outside the new apartment building, its glass windows gleaming in the late afternoon light. Clara had only been here a handful of nights since the move—too distracted by hospital visits to really take it in—but even so, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the building itself was still unfamiliar, like a coat too fine for her to wear.
Lily, however, saw none of that. Her small hand tightened around Clara’s as her eyes grew wide. “Is this… ours?” she whispered, staring up at the steps with a mix of awe and disbelief.
Clara’s throat thickened. “It’s home,” she said softly.
Elena grinned as she climbed out after them, her curls bouncing. “Not just home,” she corrected. “Your castle. And tonight, you’re the queen.”
Nicholas was already at the trunk, his tall fi
