toward them. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did this start?”
Kenna grabbed spinach and tomatoes from the fridge and set them beside the bread and butter. “Well, Carol is always here, despite my many hints that she should leave.”
Carol chuckled. “She thinks she can scare me away.”
“As for Sabrina and Kevin,” Kenna continued, “they tried to steal my purse the other day. At first I was mad, but then Carol explained their situation.” She shook her head. The siblings looked down at their books. “I just couldn’t do nothing, you know? So … they have been coming here after school for the past three days.”
“She makes us snacks,” Kevin said.
“And helps us with our homework,” Sabrina said.
“Don’t forget about your clothes,” Carol added.
“Oh, yeah.” Sabrina gestured to her shirt and pants. I hadn’t realized until now, but for the first time ever, their clothes looked clean and well cared for. “She washed our clothes, mended them, and even got us some new things.”
I stared at Kenna. What the fuck was she doing? Was she trying to adopt them or something? She was eighteen, for fuck’s sake. She didn’t have the maturity or means to take care of two kids.
Despite it all, I was shocked. Touched, actually—another human feeling that only came around once every century. Instead of reprimanding the siblings and reporting them, she took them in. She was helping them.
“We stay here until we can’t anymore,” Kevin confessed, his voice low.
My chest constricted. Of course. Staying in their foster house meant being one more kid “bothering” their foster parents, and eventually, it all led to a punishment or a beating. Staying hidden for as long as they could at Kenna’s house meant they would be safer for longer.
My eyes returned to Kenna, who passed the plates with sandwiches to her guests. Her long brown hair had green streaks now, and her nails were painted turquoise. She looked relaxed and nonchalant in jeans, a tank top, and barefoot, but she couldn’t fool me.
Under all that guarded attitude was someone who cared deeply.
It was like Kenna had entered an unknowing challenge: impress Devon at every turn.
She was definitely winning.
The sound of a door opening came from the front of the house. “Kenna?” Lia called. “I have groceries. Can you help?”
I had no idea what made me move, but without hesitation, I stepped into the hallway. “I can help.”
Her arms full of paper bags, Lia smiled at me. “Oh, you’re here.”
“We are too,” Sabrina said, coming right behind me. Kevin stood with her.
“Great.” Lia jerked her chin to the car. “Help me with the groceries, then I’ll cook supper for us while you guys finish your homework.” Sabrina and Kevin rushed past her, toward the car. Lia looked at me. “Devon, you’re staying too, right?”
I opened my mouth.
“He’s staying!” Carol shouted from the kitchen. I heard a shush from Kenna and some covert mumbling from Carol.
I frowned. What the fuck was I doing? I had no idea, but I couldn’t stop now. “Yes, I’m staying.”
“Great.” She walked past me and dropped the bags on the kitchen island. She grinned at Kenna and Carol. “I love a full house.”
The corner of my lips tugged up as I turned to help with the groceries.
Then, I wiped the smile off my face. I was here because of my mission, nothing else. Every time I touched Kenna, I saw a vision. I would find a way of casually touching her again tonight to see if I had another one, because I was now convinced these visions were connected to my mission.
That was the only reason I endured Kenna, her mother, and her friends.
Or so I told myself.
Past
Devon
Devon wiped the sweat from his forehead with the shirt he had slung over his shoulders. In this heat, he didn’t even know why he bothered putting on a shirt when he got out of bed in the morning.
His eyes scanned the field. Giles worked as hard as he did, and Ophelia was farther away, doing lighter labor. Until about an hour ago, Kianna had been in the field with them.
He straightened and stared past the field, down the hill, to the cherry tree and the lake behind it. He couldn’t help the tug in his chest as he took in the blonde girl seated at the bench, holding a fiddle, watching as her younger siblings rehearsed their dance for the competition.
At first, Kianna had resisted rehearsing more than once a day, but knowing this dance was important to