Chapter 138

• Grannie looked up from her task, a gentle smile spreading across her face as she saw Amelia approach. "Oh, you’re a sweetheart for offering, but everything’s almost ready here," she said, her voice warm and reassuring. "Why don’t you just sit back and relax for a bit? You’ve had a long day, dear.”
• Amelia smiled back, but there was still that undercurrent of unease within her. She glanced around, noticing how everyone else seemed absorbed in their activities. The twins were chasing each other around, their laughter echoing over the sand. Mina and Selena were engrossed in a quiet conversation, their heads close together as they arranged the plates of food. But her eyes kept drifting back to Sebastian, who was still standing near Gramps, absentmindedly poking at the fire with a long stick.
• There was something different about him tonight, something that hadn’t been there before. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she knew it had something to do with whatever he was keeping from her. And as much as she wanted to respect his privacy, it was hard to ignore the gnawing worry that something was very wrong.