Over the years, Vera had adopted plenty of children and had been a mother to all of them, but never expressed such things explicitly.

Still, she always kept a polite distance within her heart, and every child through the centuries unwittingly treated her formally in turn—almost like a master and a servant would in ancient times.

Even Decan, Emmett, and Logan Carrick—all of whom were in their eighties, would respectfully address her as 'Ms. Lavor'. It was the rule she set, and it was all to en