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She kneas her mother only by the dress she wore, her favorite dress The one she hen she wanted to do so fun with Airi When she tried to make up for the times she had a bad tiain and this time, stay sober

"Airiana Airiana" Hands shook her shoulders Gentle hands

"They killed her They tortured her, and they killed her" Airiana Ridell covered her face with her hands, sobbing like that teenager

"I know, honey I'm here You're safe She's in a place where they can't hurt her anymore"

The calht, as if it had just happened, as if she had just entered her bedroom and found her et the odor out of her mind Her stomach cramped and heaved and her throat hurt so bad she could barely s

"Lissa," she gasped, pushing herself into a sitting position "I'ain?"

Lissa Pinar sat on the side of the bed, pushing back the heavy fall of hair from Airiana's forehead Tiny beads of perspiration dotted Airiana's brow, and her thin sweats were damp as well Lissa looked her sister of the heart over Airiana was short, with a slender, alood wind ht blow her over Her eyes were deep blue, alolden lashes, and her hair--damp at the moment--was a true platinuh the thick pelt of platinum hair, which, to Lissa, lent Airiana the ethereal appearance of a fairy Right now there were dark circles under her eyes and she looked ile than ever

Lissa nodded in answer to Airiana's question "You've screahtmares back? You haven't had them in quite a while" Lissa's five acres bordered Airiana's within the large acreage of the farm, so it wasn't as if their homes were close, yet the wind had carried Airiana's cries to her

Airiana glanced toward her s They were open as usual She never closed them, not even in the rain

Lissa ht not be a blood relative, but she was family to Airiana, a sister, every bi

t as loved as one born to her mother

"I don't knohy the night," Airiana ad in the back of herof disaster

Each of her chosen sisters had gone through so a loved oneresponsible--so she knew Lissa would understand exactly how she felt

Airiana pressed her pal to see patterns in everything, like I'ht that she'd go down the sa

"Maybe we should call Debra Jeo with you to Monterey for a consult," Lissa offered i that I can't put off at work"

Debra had been the aroup therapy Each of them was a victim of a violent past, and each believed she was responsible for the murder of a family member she loved All had been at the very end of their ability to survive when they had gone, as a last resort, to Debra, in the hopes that she could help them

"Do you ever wonder why or hoere each drawn to Debra's group?" Airiana asked "Each of us has a gift, we're bound to an element, and soive up"

The six wo they had decided they were better off together and had pooled their e farm Eventually they were able to build a separate honated space of five acres, they ran a communal farm and donated a portion of their outside businesses to the running, care and expansion of the farm

"That's the part that has aifts and didn't even realize it It's no wonder Sea Haven called to us I think there's e and we just responded to it"

"Do you knohat's really bad?" Airiana blinked away the tears on her lashes and sent Lissa a sive herself a little respite "Ilya Prakenskii married Joley Drake and settled here Levi is really Lev Prakenskii That's two of the brothers here in Sea Haven And then who co to marry our Judith? Another bossy Prakenskii--Stefan"

Lissa nodded "He can call hi else he wants, but he's a Prakenskii all the ith his do attitude"