Fleeing the clutches of her disreputable relatives, Sera Livingston has made her escape to Australia's Outback. Disguised as a boy, sharp-tongued Sera searches for her sister but is attacked by bushrangers. Thievery becomes her only chance at surviv...
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The two sisters were silent as they walked down the busy dirt path. Passing by some people glanced over at the new foreigner with curiosity. Sera took in the sight of the greenery that disturbed the sandy ground and vast plains, looking intimidating yet beautiful. The heat pulsated around her as if welcoming her to this beautiful green yet barren land.
"Here." Ana turned and walked into a small cabin. Sera grinned at how simple and perfect it was. It was a little run down and seemed to be falling apart in some areas, mostly around the roof. But it was her new home.
"It's not much, but it's ours. I will make us some food." Ana stepped inside while Sera admired her surroundings. Never in her life had she seen such humble living, and it was breathtaking.
She walked up to the tiny porch and opened the door to the smell of buttery bread and her stomach tightened, making her ribs ache. When Ana had collided with her back at the office, the pain was intense but, in a few weeks, it would be gone.
"Smells good," Sera said.
She heard shuffling in the small kitchen and saw Ana's head poke out. "Thank you, I've gotten quite good at cooking."
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
"No, how about you sit down and relax for a bit."
She vanished into the tiny kitchen and Sera cocked a brow. Sit down... she thought to herself. She was way too excited to relax.
Instead, she perused around the cabin. Ana had done a nice job decorating, making it charming with some curtains and pretty embroideries she must've made during her idle time. There was a tiny living area to the right with a bed in the corner and the kitchen was to Sera's left where Ana glided back and forth, prepping the food for their dinner.
A small frame caught Sera's eye. She plucked it from off the stand. It was a drawing of their mother with her eyes showing the love and comfort Sera once remembered from long ago, as well as the tides of golden tresses. She put the frame back in its place with more delicacy than she had shown prior.
The tiny living space reminded her of their mother, especially the lace curtains that hung so delicately over the small window. Sera walked over to it and fingered the fabric carefully.
She was brought back to a small cottage, away from the main house, surrounded by colorful gardens and she could almost smell the purple lilac trees that would bloom proudly every spring. She saw herself and Ana as children running around one of the trees with the figure of their mother sitting underneath it.
The enchanting woman's skirt circled around her, and her slender fingers held a purple flower up for Sera to grab. Sera reached out to take it with the wind caressing her, while their mother's golden hair danced around her serene face.
"I haven't seen that expression in a long time." Sera jerked away at Ana's words and stepped away from the memory, dropping the lace curtain. "You always bite down on your lip like that when you're either in your own world or excited about something, so which is it?"
