"Father is a monster," Lyanna declared, collapsing dramatically onto a nearby bench. "A complete and utter monster."
Isabel laughed, moving to her daughter's side. "Did he push you too hard?"
"Not hard enough, apparently," Seraphine said, though she was grinning. "He said he went easy on us."
Lisa moved to Cassandra and Seraphine as well. "You'll get stronger," she assured her. "Your father has always had impossibly high standards. But he wouldn't push you if he didn't believe you could rise to meet them."
"We tried everything," Lyanna said, accepting water from Isabel. "Combat techniques, tactical formations, even..." She paused, glancing at Julian with a mischievous glint, "other methods."
Isabel's eyebrow rose. "Other methods?"
"We may have attempted to use seduction as a distraction technique," Seraphine admitted, not looking remotely ashamed. "It almost worked."
