The person outside the car turned out to be Selene.
Elaria murmured, "Selene."
She walked up and gave Selene a gentle hug-it had been months since they last met, and she really missed her.
Selene leaned against Elaria's shoulder, soaking in the warmth.
After a long moment, Selene lifted her head and spoke softly, "My brother's getting married, so I could come back just for a week. As soon as I heard you were pregnant, I asked around and came to see you. This is a gift from my brother and me for the baby."
She handed her a box made from rosewood.
Elaria opened it. Inside was a vivid green longevity lock. It clearly wasn't cheap, definitely not something Selene bought alone.
She stared at it quietly for a bit, then accepted it.
Sebastian had gotten out of the car to
