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“Amal tells me there’s supposed to be a curse tied into all of this,” Remi said

Yeshed “I’m not so sure about that Like Amal, my mother was a bit of a storyteller herself But yes, supposedly a curse that kept others fros” Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the artifact, then at Re death to any who try to take the scroll for their own If I remember, it’s only one of royal blood who can return it without invoking the curse”

“Which,” Amal said, “I’ve never understood It can’t just be a Good Samaritan, it has to be a royal Good Samaritan”

“Were your grandmother still here, she’d tell you that there was always a reason for those oddities in the old tales, even though it ht not be obvious to the storyteller”

“I miss her,” Amal replied as someone knocked at the front door She walked over to answer it

“As do I,” Yesmine said as Renee, Hank, José, and Os Ay”

Renee laughed “Thank goodness or we’d all be out of a job”

Os, handed a bouquet of flowers to Amal

She thanked hiht you flowers again”

“Again?” Remi whispered to Sam

Poor Osmond appeared crestfallen Nasha tapped A as if she was about to correct her as to who the bouquet was for But Renee held up two bottles of chilled sparkling water, since neither A to toast with”

“Perfect,” Yesht we’d eat outside”

Twinkling lights strung across the branches of the nearest olive trees cast a festive glow across the picnic table draped with a white cloth Aht out plates stack

ed high with the deep-fried brik triangles, followed by bowls of couscous, spicy chicken, and other Tunisian dishes

When everyone took a seat, Nasha slipping in between Reood friends, old and new”