Elina V

Elina nodded and watched Jane go back to the play yard. She briefly spoke with Danny, who squinted up at the sun for a couple of seconds and then shook his head. Something about the way he looked up caught Elina's attention. She frowned, trying to think what was eluding her. The tilt of his head reminded her of something she'd seen several times since she had been here. It was important . . .

"El!" Liv materialized right in front of her, a mischievous smile on her face. She flung her arms around Elina. "I missed you."

Elina's breath exploded from her lungs at the sudden sight of the little girl. Liv had endured terrible things in the underground city and that had bonded the two of them. At ten, she was years older than she should have been, her childhood ripped away from her. Elina closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the feeling of love she had for the little girl. To save her life, the ancients had converted her, bringing her wholly into their world, so technically, she shouldn't