A pale-skinned girl with cropped, flame-red hair bounded up to the boys, her smile ebullient. Even dressed in distressed denim shorts and a cropped white T-shirt, she carried herself with the effortless grace and easy nonchalance of someone who was used to being popular and well liked. At nearly the same height as Leo, who Jaya guessed was about six feet tall, she towered over both sisters. Her green eyes wandered over them slowly. “New meat?” she asked, glancing at her friends.

Rahul pushed his glasses back, his mouth twitching with what looked like eager energy. “This is Rajkumari aka Princess Jaya and her sister, Princess Isha,” he replied. Jaya got the feeling he liked things “just so;” one of those people who believed rules and norms existed for a reason. They’d get along just fine. “Princesses, this is Daphne Elizabeth McKinley.”

“More blue bloods?” Daphne Elizabeth said, cocking her head. Her accent was American, Jaya noticed. Isha and Jaya shared a mostly British accent that came with having attended schools all over the world that emphasized the virtues of the Queen’s English accent. The irony was that they’d been back in India for less than a year before disaster struck. Perhaps they should’ve stayed away.

“Don’t we have enough of those?” Daphne Elizabeth continued. But her voice was gently teasing, inviting them to join in.

Taking her cue, Jaya laughed. “Apparently not.”

Daphne Elizabeth grinned. Her gaze falling to Jaya’s pendant, she whistled and leaned in. “I like your pendant.”

Jaya smiled. “Thank you. My father got it for me.”

“And look who is talking about blue blood,” Leo said, rolling his hazel eyes. To Jaya and Isha, he added, “Daphne Elizabeth is the heiress of the McKinley dynasty.”

Jaya saw the revelation on Isha’s face mirror hers. “McKinley Hotels!” Jaya said, smiling fondly. “Love your heated towels. Wrapping up in one after a long day is the best feeling.”

A group of boys, other seniors from the look of them, walked past them and toward the French doors to their left. Daphne Elizabeth’s eyes followed them. “Glad to hear it,” she said, forcing her gaze back to Jaya. A tinkling sound permeated the air. “Oh, that’s my cell. I’ll catch you guys later. Ta!” And off she went, pulling her cell phone from her pocket.

Leo looked after her, shaking his head. “Elle est toujours presée. Rushing, rushing, rushing.” Turning to Jaya and Isha, he said, “All right, we were going to help one of our friends unpack. You ladies are welcome to go with us…?” He tossed a questioning look at Rahul, who nodded.

“Oh, well, thank you,” Jaya said. “But I think we need some time to unpack too, and rest after our flight.”

“Okay,” Rahul said, already turning away.