(You can read about Velnya, Traven, Jeda, and Jorick in the Amaranthine saga. This story takes place in 1855 near Springfield, Massachusetts.)

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Moonlight splashed on the leaves and the last of the summer grass. Velnya peered through the window and let the evening breeze kiss her skin.

"Turn your head, ma biche!"

She is slipping back to French. Oh dear.

Velnya did as ordered. Her sister's brush strokes were more violent than ...