The little girl’s eyes widened, all traces of sleepiness vanishing. She kicked her legs against the booster seat and clutched her stuffed dragon—the sparkly one she’d named Fizz—tight against her chest.
“Yes! Can we go now?” Adara’s whole face lit up with excitement.
Estelle smiled as some of her tension eased. “We sure can.”
She opened her door and stepped out, her back protesting after the long drive. Stretching her arms overhead, Estelle took a moment to scan the treeline and the surrounding clearing, instinctively cataloging potential escape routes and hiding spots.
When she was satisfied, Estelle moved to Adara’s door and unclipped the complicated buckles of the car seat. Were these things intentionally made to outwit her fingers? “Come on, little one.”
Adara immediately reached for her, small arms wrapping around Estelle’s neck as she lifted the child from the seat. The familiar weight against her chest sent a wave of fierce protectiveness through Estelle. She pressed a kiss to Adara’s soft cheek, breathing in the scent of baby shampoo and the faint cinnamon warmth that was uniquely dragon.
“Down, please,” Adara requested, wiggling in Estelle’s arms. “I want to see.”
Estelle set her carefully on the ground, steadying the child as she found her footing. Adara wobbled for a moment, legs stiff from sitting so long in the car. Then, with a delighted squeal, she took off toward the cottage, Fizz clutched in one hand while the other swung at her side.
“Careful on the steps,” Estelle called, following close behind.
Adara clambered up the wooden porch steps with unsteady determination, her little trainers thumping against each riser. When she reached the top, she spun around, her face bright with joy.
“Is this really our house?” she asked, bouncing on her toes. “It’s so big!”
The cottage wasn’t large by most standards—just a modest two-bedroom with the promised wraparound porch—but compared to the series of apartments and motel rooms they’d been living in, Estelle supposed it was practically a mansion.
“For now it is,” Estelle said, climbing the steps to join her. She ran her hand over the weathered porch railing. The wood felt reassuringly solid beneath her fingers. “What do you think?”
Adara pressed her face against the window beside the front door, fogging the glass with her breath. “Can I see inside?”
“As soon as…” Estelle began, as a blue sedan pulled into the clearing, tires crunching over fallen pine needles. Estelle watched as a middle-aged woman stepped out, her movements unhurried as she reached for a clipboard from the passenger seat. Brown hair falling loose around her shoulders, practical clothes, and a friendly smile. Non-threatening, Estelle assessed automatically.
She frowned, catching herself. Non-threatening. That was how she saw people now—threat or non-threat. Not a friend or a stranger. Just varying degrees of danger. A knot formed in her stomach as she glanced down at Adara, who was now hiding partially behind her legs, Fizz clutched tightly against her chest.
Is this really the life I’m creating for her?Always watching, always wary?
The woman approached with a warm smile, hand extended. “You must be Estelle! I’m Sian Franks. So lovely to meet you in person after all our phone calls.”
The familiar voice—slightly husky with a hint of local accent—made some of the tension ease from Estelle’s shoulders. They’d spoken several times over the past few weeks while arranging the rental.
“Ms. Franks, hello.” Estelle shook her hand briefly, then placed her palm protectively on Adara’s head.
Sian crouched down, bringing herself to eye level with the little girl. “Well, hello there. That’s a very special dragon you’ve got.”
Adara nodded solemnly but didn’t speak, pressing herself closer to Estelle’s leg.
Standing back up, Sian turned to take in the view—the sloping meadow behind the cottage, the dense forest beyond, and the mountains rising majestically in the distance. “So,” she said, gesturing broadly, “what do you think?”
Estelle looked around, feeling that strange pull again, that rightness. “It’s exactly what you promised.”
A satisfied smile spread across Sian’s face. “I’m good at matching people to their homes. It’s a gift.” She jingled a set of keys. “Shall we go inside?”
Estelle nodded, and suddenly Adara was bouncing up and down beside her, shyness forgotten.
“Fizz can’t wait to see her new bedroom!” she exclaimed, holding the stuffed dragon aloft.
“Well, I think Fizz is going to love it here,” Sian said as she opened the door wide. “After you.”
The interior of the cottage was simple but perfect—clean lines, sturdy furniture, nothing fragile that Estelle would need to move out of Adara’s reach. The main floor was open plan, with a modest kitchen flowing into a cozy living area dominated by a stone fireplace. Large windows let in plenty of natural light and offered views of the surrounding forest.
Sian led them upstairs to inspect the two bedrooms—a larger one for Estelle and a smaller one that already had Adara squealing with delight over the built-in window seat.
