He collected his phone from beside the bed and waggled it at her. “Weather app.” He slid it into his pocket.
She laughed and shook her head. “I thought you were going to say you could smell the rain.”
“I am sorry to disillusion you, but the air coming in here is filtered.” He pointed to the vents. “A precaution.”
“When did you last buy breakfast?”
He thought for a moment. “Two hundred and seventy-eight years ago, but I assume the principle hasn’t changed.”
“Do you even have any money?”
He pulled out a black credit card and waved it. “Still not a barbarian.”
She huffed a laugh. “I can’t believe you’re fetching breakfast. But yes, go. I’m hungry, and I’ll work better with some food.”
He gave her a kiss. “I will not be long.”
The door clanged shut behind him, leaving the room eerily quiet and soulless. She gave herself a little shake, then set up Eve’s laptop on the coffee table. She knew her passcode; it was easy to log on and find the spreadsheet they’d been working on.
A few curses and boons had caught her eye before, but she was certain the concept of transferring power was the correct route. Antoine had said, so many times, that she was a powerful witch, and she recalled how brightly the obsidian in Mr. Alexander’s study had glowed. And that was raw intent, with only a made-up chant to harness it. She knew so much more now, but was she strong enough to tip the balance in Antoine’s favor? That was another question.
She hadn’t made much progress before her phone rang, and she answered it, expecting it to be Antoine asking for a breakfast order. But it wasn’t.
“Hey darling.” Her dad sounded calmer than when they’d last spoken. “Catch you at a good time?”
“Uh… sure.” She glanced whimsically at all the spell books spread around, and wondered how she’d ever explain it all. But now wasn’t the right moment. “How are you?”
“I’m good. And you? Did you get it all sorted with that Darian fellow?”
“Oh, yes. I’m sorry I haven’t come to visit. It’s been a bit… hectic.”
“No problem, I understand. Maybe we can find a day to do lunch?”
“That sounds great. And I’m sorry about Darian. He was totally out of order”—so to speak—“turning up like that. I… don’t work with him anymore.”
“It was a bit strange. I’m glad you’re not stuck with him.” Her dad paused. “I had a question for you.”
“Oh? Shoot.”
“I know you’re a hotshot cyber expert, but you do only use it forlegalthings, right?”
Cally hesitated, phishing attacks on WHOI springing to mind. “Strictly morally good.”True… if not what he meant.“Why do you ask?”
“Well… the funniest thing happened,” he said, sounding awkward. “My retirement statement came through and it showed zero.”
“Oh my God, Dad!”Goddamn Order. I can’t believe they actually did it! Antoine is going to—
“No, it’s all right. It was all a big mistake, apparently.” He chuckled, embarrassed. “I rang them and at first they said the feed was down, no records at all. I was a bit worried there for a while, I won’t deny, but then they phoned and said they’d reconciled to custody and it’s all fixed.”
“Good,” Cally said vehemently. “So it’s sorted?”
“Well… that’s the thing. It’s back, but it’s wrong. They emailed me archived PDFs and every payment is larger than it should be.” His awkwardness had returned. “Honey, you didn’t…doanything, did you?”
“I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” she said truthfully.
“Of course, of course,” he replied hastily, sounding relieved. “Well, apparently I’m now a lot wealthier. I feel guilty about it, as it’s not really my money, but it’s a ‘computer says no’ situation—or ‘yes,’ more accurately—the woman in the callcenter was adamant that everything is correct.”
“In that case, Dad, you should enjoy it. Sounds like it would be a complete pain in the ass to reverse it all out. My advice? Best not draw attention to it.”
