"You are not mothers," Lykon said, "nor do I feel you are like sisters to me, as I am not arranging dowries."

Quynh made a hissing noise at that, but grinned and snapped her teeth in his direction before stirring the coals of their fire.

"We are, we will be, we always are; that is what we are within our family," Andromache said firmly, before she had both of them leaning in on either side of her.