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‘Mum, no,’ Rupert groaned. ‘Ava had her nails done this morning.’
‘I don’t mind,’ Ava said gamely, pushing away from the table. ‘I’m happy to help.’ She tottered to the kitchen on her ridiculously high heels with Mum.
I waited until she’d left. ‘She seems nice,’ I said conversationally.
Julian snorted. ‘She’s out of your league,’ he said to Rupert. Grant kicked him under the table.
Rupert sighed. ‘I’m well aware of that.’
‘Where did you meet her?’ Grant asked.
‘At a charity ball my law firm sent me to. We were sponsoring it. Her dad owns one of the biggest legal firms in the country and he’d taken her along.’
‘Which firm?’ I asked.
‘Greys Aldridge. He’s the Grey part.’
‘What is she?’ Julian asked rudely.
‘Jules!’ I chastened. It is incredibly rude to ask what species of Other someone is; besides, it would become obvious in time. I was betting she was a siren or a witch. She didn’t have the tension that wizards carry or the faraway look that seers often have.
‘What?’ Julian said defensively. ‘We’re his family. We deserve to know who’s coming to our table.’
‘You know who is coming to the table – Ava Grey,’ Rupert retorted.
‘Fine. I deserve to know what is coming to the table.’
I opened my mouth to argue but Rupert held up a hand to forestall me. ‘It doesn’t matter. He’s going to badger me until I tell him. She’s a siren.’
‘I knew it!’ Julian crowed. ‘Has she used her powers on you?’
Rupert glared. ‘Obviously not.’
‘So how’s work?’ I asked Grant hastily to draw the conversation away from the apparently contentious issue of Ava Grey.
‘Busy,’ Grant said. ‘But good.’
Julian and Grant are both doctors and wizard healers. Rupert is a lawyer: his firm, KHR Law, specialises in helping Other clients get out of Common trouble. With a doctor and a lawyer in the family, technically I am the black sheep. Mum certainly sees it that way.
In the next room we heard her tinkling laugh and we all stilled. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d heard her laugh; it was certainly before Dad’s death. ‘If Ava’s used her powers on Mum…’ Julian started.
Rupert stood. ‘Fuck you. She never would. She’s different – we’re different. I really like her. I shouldn’t have told you what she is. We’re going!’
‘Rupe,’ I started.
‘It’s not your job to mediate between us,’ Rupert snapped. ‘Especially when Julian is being an asshole.’
Grant’s arms were folded; he obviously agreed that his husband was being an asshole.
Rupert walked out, making sure to slam the door. ‘Whoops,’ the bird said. ‘Cranky.’
‘You’re not wrong,’ I said to the caladrius. I stood up as well. ‘It’s late. I’d better make tracks.’
‘It’s 9.30pm,’ Julian said flatly.
‘That’s late when your day starts at 5am.’ I kissed him and Grant on the cheek, grabbed my bird and went to the kitchen to say goodbye to Mum. She was putting away the crockery. There was no sign of Ava or Rupert.
‘I misjudged her,’ she said as she put the last bowl in the cupboard. ‘She was lovely and she helped without a qualm.’ She paused. ‘I had to tell her how to dry the dishes because she has servants do that for her, but she was very nice about it. And game to learn.’
