"You know," he said, "I used to wonder if it was some kind of treaty between the Legacy houses. Like all their daughters were contractually obligated to come out blonde."
Mother and daughter laughed together.
The sound overlapped so brightly that Phei almost forgot the joke. Almost. The timing was too close, too matched, two similar mouths shaping amusement in nearly the same rhythm, and that resemblance struck harder than before.
"Really?" they asked, almost at once.
Phei spread his hands, unrepentant. "Sierra. You. Amber. Victoria. Juliette. Zara." He counted them off with grave seriousness, as though presenting evidence before a court too foolish to deny him.
"All blonde. And that's before we get to the rest of the set. Statistically, that is suspicious. Somewhere out there is a signed accord. A handshake. Possibly a blood oath conducted entirely inside a luxury salon."
Elena's grin shifted into genuine thought. "Huh."
Phei watched her brows draw together.
