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Lily looked around the group. A few days prior she’d have said that together was the problem. That her brothers had been the issue and that she’d stand a better chance alone. But she’d begun to realize that she’d been wrong on several fronts.
And so she squeezed Ash’s fingers and leaned toward Bash. “Together?”
“That’s what I hoped for.”
“Me too,” Baxter added. “And that extends beyond just this fight. Bash picked me up and dusted me off when I hated the world and our father so much, I thought it would be easier to just let go of life than to try anymore.” He stepped closer to Lily. “I should have waited to bring you into our lives until I had a plan, but I wished to do for you what he’d done for me. I wanted to lift you up and give you a better life.”
She thought back to that month she’d spent with them. She’d been lost in their world, and she’d felt even more apart. Not one of them and not in her own life, either. But somehow, she was beginning to think she’d landed in the exact right place. “If we make it out of this alive, we’ll have this conversation again and I’ll tell you how you did the right thing.” She gave her brother a small smile. “But for now, I’ll hope you’ll forgive me delaying your reward as we try to set ourselves up for the battle that’s headed our way.”
Bash slapped Baxter on the shoulder. “You really do sound like a Fenton, Lily.”
“A Fenton?” Arabella asked.
“Our grandmother’s maiden name. I’ll have to show you both her portrait when we have a chance. Maybe this Christmas.”
Lily liked that idea. Christmas with her family…
Baxter cleared his throat. “Lily’s right. Let’s make it through today first. Then we can plan our holiday together.”
Ash opened the carriage door, but Lily shook her head. “I’m riding with you. I’m not hiding away in that carriage today.”
He reached out a hand, helping her onto his horse.
