THREE MATES ONE HEART

strips, hung limp from moisture that the foster home's owners never bothered to address. The twin bed under Claire creaked as she sat up, running a h

a thrift store last winter. Even in her sleep, Ivy's delicate features held a hint of sadness, an echo of the tragedy they'd

the room where a hot plate and a chipped mug served as their makeshift kitchen. Breakfast wasn't much-a couple of slice

's soft voice

sister sitting up, rubbing

ng a smile. "I didn't mean to wake

"I don't mind. Wha

ied, handing her the first pi

ved for moments like this-proof that Ivy still had a spark of hope in her, even if Clair

leave this place?" Ivy as

s question sinking deep. "Yeah," she

their moment. Claire stiffened, her ears pricking as

day," the man's gr

ce," the woman snapped

just arguing about money again," she said

By the time the faint rumble of a car engine echoed up the drive,

t the backdrop of the crumbling foster home. From it stepped

ray eyes scanned the house with a mix of curiosity and judgment. Beside him, the woman moved with

And why did it feel like they were he

"Stay here," she sa

ut

just want to see

ire stepped into the hallway, h

the foster parents. Their voices were low, too faint to make out, but Claire caught the w

calm but commanding. "We'

the wall, her mind racing. This wasn't some routine visit. Who

nto fists. Whatever was happening, she wo

the foster mother's shrill response.

arrowed to the sound of the woman climbing the stairs and t

n armchairs, a sagging couch, and a coffee table scarred with water rings-spoke of years of neglect. Claire stood near the doorway,

air added an air of distinguished maturity. His gray eyes, sharp and assessing, moved over the room as if cataloging every imperfection. Beside him, Lila Knight's elegance softened the scene. Her blonde hair fell

idn't tr

ting. "And Ivy, I presume?" Her gaze flicked past Claire t

elf more firmly between Ivy and the s

knees. "We're here because of your father, Dani

could feel Ivy's gaze on her back, wide-eyed and expectant, but

Marcus said. "Daniel wa

er skepticism evident. "Fun

r interjected sharply, sho

gaze to Ivy and smiled softly. "Your father was a remarkable man. Brave, loyal, and deeply devoted to his

sooner, but circumstances made it difficult. When we

ly they slipped into her father's legacy as if they had any right to it. She glanced at Ivy, wh

want?" Claire

We want to take you and your sister into our home. To g

e could stop it, sharp and incre

now what it's like to lose a family. No one sho

h doubt. She gestured vaguely around the room. "A

pered, tugging at

rned back to the Knights. "Why now? Why n

ng with something that might have been regret. "There were.

polished clothes and empty promises. But the way Ivy's shoulders ha

t have to decide right now," he said. "Take some time to think about

rder to argue against. She crossed her arms tighter, her nails digging into

ently. "That'

Claire. She hesitated before taking it, her fingers brush

is gray eyes lingering on her for a

, as if their presence had left a tangible weight. Ivy

nice," Ivy sa

nning with questions and suspicions she couldn't shake. Whatever the K

a closet, with enough space for two narrow beds and a battered nightstand crammed between them. The dim light from the single bulb overhead di

chest. Her hazel eyes were wide and pleading. "I don't understand w

n't quite shake. "It's not that simple, Ivy. People don't just show up o

"Maybe they're just good people. Dad always said there

aw Ivy flinch. She softened her tone. "Look, I want to believe that too, bu

fingers twisting the hem of her sweat

ou notice how vague they were? They didn't say how t

they were scared," she murmured. "Or

shown up and thrown their already precarious lives into chaos. But Ivy's quiet hope was like a knife to her heart. Her sister h

oftly. "What if we go with them, and it's worse th

hat if it's better?" she countered. "What if it's everything we've e

sn't sure she knew what happiness felt like any

d their parents laughing on a picnic blanket, the sun glinting off their matching auburn hair. Another was of t

eep, reassuring voice as he read bedtime stories. The way their mother's

it all ended. The n

ill echoed in her nightmares. Th

she kept them locked away. "It's my job to protect you," she said,

re's knee. "Maybe protecting me means giving me a chance to be happy," she said,

times made Claire feel like she was the younger one. Ivy's face was pale, her chestnut hair fram

said at last, her voice barely above a whisper. "We'll go. But only because you

aw a glimmer of the little girl Ivy used to be before the world made

rust the Knights, not yet. But if this was what Ivy needed to belie

ettling. The decision had been made, but Claire couldn't shake the feeling that their li

d at the edge of the foster home's cracked driveway, her duffel bag slung over one shoulder. She glanced back at the

urly hair, tugged at her sleeve. "You're really leaving, Claire?"

e like a curtain. She ruffled the boy's hair gently. "Yeah, Ben

st puffing out as if she'd just en

Her sister's soft voice carried over the low hum of the Knights' SUV idling in the drive

caught Ivy's eye. "It'

her cheek. "I'll miss you guys," sh

sinterest as palpable as the drizzle beginning to fall. The woman waved a dismissiv

She resisted the urge to say something cutting, knowing it wouldn't change

leaning casually against the car, his broad shoulders and tailored coat making him look as though he'd stepped out of a

ila asked, her to

sitated. She glanced back one last time at the group of kids huddled on the porch, their express

he backseat, her chestnut hair bounc

," she muttered under her breath. With a final nod to the

. Lila slid into the passenger seat, turning back to smile a

he couldn't help but notice how out of place she and Ivy looked in the lu

earview mirror. Relief warred with trepidation in her chest. She didn't trust the Knights-n

aven," Lila said, her smile warm. "It

hat's it like? Do you have a

g melody. "It's big enough, and yes, th

eets gave way to suburban neighborhoods and then to open countryside. The further they

, curling around the car like ghostly fingers. The light grew

xactly is this place?" she asked,

ray eyes calm but unreadable. "Not far now. Shadow Haven is

ogging the glass. "It's like something out of a

rawl up her spine. The mist thickened as they drove de

the Knights, who seemed perfectly at ease. Something about this journey fel

d ahead, and Claire's grip on the armrest tightened

g out what little light the overcast sky provided. When the road finally opened, the sigh

em-a sprawling estate that se

and reaching out to touch the edge of

it was the details that set her nerves on edge-the peculiar symbols carved into the wood of the staircase, the faint

said brightly, breaking the silence.

tedly with Lila, her excitement palpable. Claire followed

ecorated in soft pastels with a canopy bed that made her gasp in delight. Claire's wa

spinning in the center of her ro

view was of the forest, the mist clinging to the trees like a living thing. She could just make out

imposing figure filling the space. "Dinner will be ready shortly," he

her arms crossed over her chest. Ivy's laughter drifted from the next room, a sound th

ut through the quiet. It was low and mournfu

but the mist was too thick to see anything clearly. The sound

led from the adjoining room, tin

Probably just an animal," she said, th

nute. Something about this place felt off, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they had