Chapter 6 - Building Sandcastles
As summer faded into a mild, golden autumn, Lily’s nightmares began to recede. The dark circles under her eyes vanished, replaced by the rosy flush of a child who spent her afternoons running in the sun.
Liam watched her from a distance as she built a towering sandcastle on the beach. She was focused, her tiny hands packing the wet sand with immense dedication.
"It needs a moat," a voice said.
Liam tensed instinctively, his hand dropping to the heavy wrench he kept in his belt. He turned to see Elena, the woman who ran the local bakery, smiling down at Lily.
"To keep the bad guys out," Elena added, kneeling beside the girl.
"My papa keeps the bad guys out," Lily said proudly, patting a wall of sand.
Liam’s heart ached with a sudden, fierce protectiveness. He stepped forward, his muscles relaxing slightly.
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"She's right," Liam said, his voice softer now. "But a moat never hurts."
Elena looked up at him, her dark eyes perceptive but kind. She didn't ask questions about where they came from. In San Valerio, asking about the past was the only unforgivable sin.
