The hostess led them toward a table near the window where the noise of the mall softened into a distant murmur.
Arianne helped Lily out of her coat before taking the seat beside her. Leo settled close against Arianne's other side without being told. The boy's shoulders relaxed once he was seated, though his hand stayed loosely wrapped around the sleeve of her coat. Across from them, Audrey placed her tablet carefully on the table, smoothing the front of her coat before sitting down.
Mira had taken a seat two tables away, angled just enough to watch the room without appearing to do so.
Audrey studied the twins for a moment with open curiosity. She had heard about them before, mostly through scattered comments over the years, but seeing them in person was different. Lily's expression was bright and alert, reminding her of old photographs she had seen of Alexander Rochefort. Leo, meanwhile, remained quiet beside Arianne, his posture smaller, more cautious.
