“Oh.” I force a laugh, fanning the air with my hands. “It’ll dissipate in a few minutes.”
“Perhaps we should open a window?”
“I did.” I gesture toward the one that’s cracked.
“That’s not going to do much.” He sets his briefcase on the floor and walks over to it. And like I suspect all things do in Ash’s life, it obeys his command and slides open.
“It was stuck,” I say. “How did you do that so easily?”
“You must have loosened it.” He walks to the butcher block kitchen island and peers at the salad, perhaps suspecting I dumped it from a bag.
And he would be correct. But at least Laverna’s ceramic navy blue and white bowl is pretty.
“Make yourself comfortable,” I say, feeling awkward. “I’m just going to cook the chicken real quick.”
Thankfully, I have extra.
Determined to do it right this time, I scan the recipe on my phone as I pull ingredients out of the fridge. Distracting me, Ash removes his jacket and hangs it on the back of one of the dining room chairs. Next, he loosens his tie, and then he rolls up his shirtsleeves.
Barely paying attention to what I’m doing, I load my arms with butter, chicken broth, cream, the leftover half of the onion I just cremated, and a bulb of garlic.
“No!” I cry when the glass container of raw chicken slips out of my grip.
It freezes midair, right before it crashes on the ground…
Hovering.
I look over at Ash, wide-eyed. He stands with his hand extended, calm as the cucumber I forgot to add to the salad. With a flick of his wrist, he directs the chicken to the counter.
“That’s amazing,” I breathe.
His eyebrows shoot up, and he actually smiles. “You’re easy to impress.”
“I’ve never seen anyone use magic… I mean, I’ve never seen it used likethat.”
“When they’re in their season, pixies have almost as much magic as elves,” Ash points out.
Probably having heard me scream, Rowan flies back inside, his eyes alert as he lands on his perch and takes in the scene.
“But we can’tuseour magic. It just…is.” I glance at the owl. “Some would even say it’scute and worthless.”
Ash scowls at Rowan. “That bird is still around?”
“You know him?” I ask carefully.
“Laverna’s had him for years. I don’t know how he’s still alive. If you don’t want to deal with him, I can call animal services for you.”
“No!” I say a little too forcefully, earning a startled look from Ash and an unblinking one from Rowan. “I mean, you can’t. I inherited him, remember? You drew all that up.”
“I figured he’d fly off after Laverna passed away.”
“Well…he didn’t. Just ignore him. He’ll go outside soon.”
I level Rowan with a stare, silently telling him to get lost. But he only fluffs his feathers and makes himself comfortable.
“You should remove his perch from the kitchen,” Ash says. “It’s possible for owls to carry salmonella.”
I glance at the counter, where Rowan was standing just minutes ago. “I’ll look into it.”
