“Hey Estra?”

“Hm?”

“What did you mean back there? When you said that you hope the blond kid felt better?” Maddie asked.

“Remember that person I told you about? The one who was on our roof in the middle of the night with their stomach sliced open?”

“No way! That was him?”

“Yep.”

“And now him and his brothers have shown up on our doorstep, Luminescents who have no idea what that even means.” Maddie said, looking contemplative.

Before she could get another word out however, Arin spoke up from behind her. “Dibs.”

Turning her head to glare at him, Maddie said “Hey no fair!”

“What do you mean no fair? I called Dibs. You either call it or you don’t. It can’t not be fair.”

“More to the point,” Estrella interrupted, before this line of conversation could continue. “How is it that they don’t know what a Luminescent is?”

There was silence as the grim realization dawned on Estrella’s friends. “They must have been from a coven that got completely wiped out.” Arin said. “Otherwise they would’ve been assimilated into a neighboring coven.”

“Yes.” Estrella said. “And they would’ve had to be fairly young to have no memory of their former coven, so perhaps it would’ve had to have happened about fifteen-twenty years ago?”

“Jeez.” Maddie said, shaking her head. “How often does this happen? The Anmal don’t usually leave survivors, especially not young ones. They’re prime slave material.”

“We’re going to have to ask them, and whoever they’re guardian is, some questions to try and figure it out.” Estrella said. “And then…” The three of them looked at each other, trying to think of a plan to handle what was an incredibly delicate situation. Finally Estrella finished her thought by saying “They’re going to have a lot to get used to as it is. We’ll tell them when they’re ready. No sooner.” Maddie and Arin agreed, and then they walked back to Sanctuary in silence.