Lallielle turned at my entrance, and a dazzling smile lit her face. “My goodness, Aribella, you look stunning.” She took Josian’s hand. “Your hair is amazing. It’s as if you took both of our coloring.” Considering I hadn’t checked the mirror before leaving, I wasn’t sure what I looked like. But my hair felt silky and smooth. It was working for me today. With curls you never knew what you were going to wake up to. Josian disengaged from Lallielle and moved forward. Before I could react, he engulfed me in a hug. There was nothing tight or overpowering about it, despite his size. Instead it was comforting, gentle and warm. The world disappeared for a moment. I could have used this hug millions of times over the years. Shaking my head, I pulled away. His eyes were narrowed and his brow creased as he stepped back. “Sorry, Aribella, I couldn’t help myself. Walkers are demonstrative people, and right now you look so grown up.
