This morning, the infinity pool at the Devano Mansion—perched directly overlooking the Avernon Valley—had been heated to a precise 32°C. Alaric would not permit his daughter's skin to feel a single second of a chill.
Theia was dressed in a one-piece strawberry-print swimsuit with delicate ruffles at the waist. On her arms were the world's safest water wings, custom-ordered from Germany.
Lucifer was already in the water. Sporting black swimming goggles, he looked like a miniature secret agent.
"Pa! Look! Backstroke!" Lucifer called out.
He glided smoothly, kicking the water with a steady, rhythmic pulse. Lucifer intentionally circled in front of Theia, flaunting his skills. "Theia is a wimp! Scared of the water!" he teased, splashing a bit toward his sister.
Theia didn't cry. Instead, her eyes narrowed—a mirror image of Alaric when challenged by a business rival. She stood at the pool's edge, staring at the blue water with absolute resolve.
