Katrina lay there, her head in Shizuka’s lap. Some of the girl’s stories seemed unfathomably cruel. Some of them sounded like being a teenager. But they were tangled and knotted, and pulling on them would only make matters worse. Shizuka brushed a strand of hair out of Katrina’s face. “Katrina, why don’t you go upstairs, wash up, and rest. Astrid is starting dinner soon. I’ll ask her to make something special.”

