Later that evening, as Norah entered the house, she didn't expect to find her daughter engaged in a lively conversation with the three reapers. Even Lia had joined in, their camaraderie acting as a shield against the weight of recent results. Ivan also felt touched by the Mortimer family's support for his sister, even though she preferred to keep her worries hidden.
"It's getting late. We should head back," Lia suggested, putting down her coffee cup. She had joined them only an hour ago, but Yael and Ziana had already filled her in on the earlier gossip—the eldest's string of losses in matches, a five-game losing streak that had been quite the spectacle. But the relief came in knowing that Ziana hadn't been left alone; the reapers had cheered her up and engaged her. And now, it was time to leave.
