She stared, dumbfounded, as she saw both Malory and Dana standing as she was, hands outstretched, each with a pulsing blue light cupped in her palm.
We've touched souls, she realized.
Then the lights seemed to leap, rushing in a kind of joyful madness from hand to hand, spinning flirtatiously around the men, playfully around a laughing Simon, over the heads of the dogs, before they shot to Rowena and Pitte to hover where they'd both gone reverently to their knees.
"It's so beautiful." Malory gripped Zoe's hand, reached for Dana's. "I've never seen anything so beautiful."
Once more, the three lights rose in a perfect circle, then separated and arrowed toward the portrait. And into it.
The painting shimmered, its already rich colors deepened. Zoe swore, that for just a moment, she heard three hearts begin to beat once more.
Then all was still.
"They are free." Rowena's voice trembled with tears. "They are home."
She moved to the three women. "This is a debt that can never be paid. What we give you is a token only." She stepped closer to kiss each of them on the cheek in turn. "Please, sit. I know you have much to do for tomorrow, but we still have one or two things to discuss."
"I'm not sure I can talk sensibly right now." Zoe pressed her hands to her mouth and stared at the portrait. "Or ever again."
"Champagne." Rowena threw back her head and laughed. "We'll have champagne to celebrate this great day. To celebrate our joy, and your fortune."
She spun away to fetch the flutes Pitte was already pouring. "Thanksgiving." Her face glowed as she handed out the glasses. "Oh, it's such a day for it. Life finds its way, doesn't it? And you have found yours."
"We'll get the business out of the way," Pitte began. "The funds will be transferred to your accounts immediately, as agreed."
"No." Dana sat down, sipped her champagne, and caught Zoe's smirk out of the corner of her eye as Pitte blinked.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Do you want more?" In a gesture of acceptance, Rowena lifted a hand. "Don't tell me a bargain is a bargain," she said before Pitte could speak. "If they want more than the agreed-upon amount, they'll have more."
"No," Dana said again. "We don't want more. We don't want any." She jabbed a finger in the air toward Brad. "Mr. Business?"
"The parties waive payment," Brad began. Enjoying himself, loving these women. "After discussing the contractual terms, an agreement was reached, unanimously, to refuse any further monetary remuneration."
He drew forth a paper he'd written up, hurriedly, at their instructions, which they had signed. And he, Flynn, Jordan— and Simon—had witnessed. "This document, though informal, is selfexplanatory and valid."
He held it out, waited for Pitte to come over and take it.
"Payment was agreed," he began.
"That was before." Malory looked up at the portrait.
"Before we knew you, or them. When it was a kind of challenging game. We can't take money for this."
"We took the down payment," Dana put in. "And we're not giving it back because, well, it's gone." She shrugged carelessly. "But we're not going to get rich off their souls."
"The money means nothing to us," Rowena began.
"No." Zoe nodded. "But it means something to us, so we can't. Wherever we go from here, whatever we make, we'll do it on our own, and together. That's our decision and we… we expect you to honor it," she finished.
"Honor," Pitte said slowly, "is beyond price. I am humbled by yours."
"Then let's drink." Grinning, Dana lifted her glass. "It'll be the first time I ever drank to turning down a million."
Rowena walked to Zoe's side. "If I could have a moment with you, in private." She'd be
en waiting, and though Zoe stood, she stayed where she was. "You're going to offer me a boon, the way you did when Malory and Dana found their keys. Isn't that right?"