"There was a little bit of concern when Kayla was born," Karla admitted. "Neither Cora nor Nyles was a hundred percent certain they'd still have a place with us once we had biological children. Nyles went back to hoarding food for a bit, just in case."

There had been flies in the family wing, Momoko. Flies. The hearthwitches had nearly revolted.

"But now they know they're stuck with us, so things are better. They dote on Kayla who now toddles after them whenever possible. And those two are inseparable. They managed to contract chicken pox at the same time."