his sails,” she said.
I was getting more lost by the second. “I thought the entire court was sent home.”
She brushed her handkerchief on the arm of the chair, draped it over, and restedher hand on it. “Yes, that was after he was shut out. Oh, he didn’t think I knew, but I’m no fool. He’s had a hard year. It started with him being dropped from the missions to the Continent. Then Maeve put him on desk work entirely. You know your father loves travel.”
I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. “So, um, what exactly do you want me to do?”
She waved her hand in the air. “I don’t know. Guy stuff. Get Callin to join you. He’d like that. All you boys together.”
I stared at my stocking feet. “Mother, I am never, ever going camping with Callin and Da again.”
“Well, what about bowling? You used to be quite good,” she said.
I hid my disbelief beneath an amused smile. Sometimes mothers forget that their children outgrow their childhoods. “I’ll see if I can find Cal. Maybe he might have some ideas,” I said.
“Oh, I already went to see him. He said he would love to do something. Now that you mention it, he did say to suggest camping to you. He said he has fond memories of the two of you in the woods.”
He would. He spent all our camping trips making my life miserable as only older brothers can do. I have had enough of bugs in my bedroll to last a lifetime. “You went to see Callin? Where?”
“His apartment. He’s not much better at decorating than you, but the view is lovely,” she said.
I had no idea where my brother lived. No one ever seemed to know. “Mother, have you been walking around the Weird looking for us? Do you have any idea how bad an idea that is right now?”
She huffed and fell back in the armchair, then bolted forward, eyeing the cushions for dirt. “I’m desperate, Connie. If I don’t get your father out of that hotel, I’m going to scream. He needs something to do.”
I didn’t laugh, but I did smile. My parents loved each other but tended to get on each other’s nerves. “Okay. I’ll think of something.”
In a bright flash of pink, Joe burst into the air. He held a take-out cup half as tall as he was. A tag on a string dangled from the lid. He held the cup out to my mother. “I thought you might be here and like some tea, Momma Grey.”
My mother popped the lid on the cup and inhaled. “You are such a dear, Joey. Earl Grey is my favorite.”
Joe threw me a smug look over her head. “Is it? I had no idea. Great minds drink alike.”
My mother giggled. “You are so naughty. Where were you last night? I thought you might drop by.”
Joe fluttered over by the window. “I was helping some children with their lessons.”
I shook my head. “Children? Really, Joe? You were with children?”
Joe shrugged. “Everyone is someone’s child. I didn’t say how old they were.”
My mother bubbled with laughter.
“Suddenly, I remember something I didn’t miss when you moved to Ireland, Ma,” I said.
She drank her tea, the amusement fading from her eyes. “Speaking of Ireland, I’ve been trying to contact Nigel. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”
I feigned nonchalance. “I haven’t seen him. We’re not on the best of terms anymore.”
She hummed. “I heard. I’m not going to interfere in whatever is going on between you, but I’d like to speak to him.”
“Why?”
“Because Nigel has insight into Maeve’s thinking. She is rushing headlong into war, and that’s never a good thing. If there’s a way to avert it, Nigel will know.”
“I don’t know, Ma. I don’t think Nigel would be interested in stopping Maeve. He’s always done her dirty work,” I said.
She gestured with her mug. “Exactly. If he’s around, she doesn’t have to do it herself. Nigel has a way of making things happen behind the scenes. We don’t need war. Maeve needs her advisor.”
I was impressed. I never talked politics with my
I was getting more lost by the second. “I thought the entire court was sent home.”
She brushed her handkerchief on the arm of the chair, draped it over, and restedher hand on it. “Yes, that was after he was shut out. Oh, he didn’t think I knew, but I’m no fool. He’s had a hard year. It started with him being dropped from the missions to the Continent. Then Maeve put him on desk work entirely. You know your father loves travel.”
I couldn’t believe I was hearing this. “So, um, what exactly do you want me to do?”
She waved her hand in the air. “I don’t know. Guy stuff. Get Callin to join you. He’d like that. All you boys together.”
I stared at my stocking feet. “Mother, I am never, ever going camping with Callin and Da again.”
“Well, what about bowling? You used to be quite good,” she said.
I hid my disbelief beneath an amused smile. Sometimes mothers forget that their children outgrow their childhoods. “I’ll see if I can find Cal. Maybe he might have some ideas,” I said.
“Oh, I already went to see him. He said he would love to do something. Now that you mention it, he did say to suggest camping to you. He said he has fond memories of the two of you in the woods.”
He would. He spent all our camping trips making my life miserable as only older brothers can do. I have had enough of bugs in my bedroll to last a lifetime. “You went to see Callin? Where?”
“His apartment. He’s not much better at decorating than you, but the view is lovely,” she said.
I had no idea where my brother lived. No one ever seemed to know. “Mother, have you been walking around the Weird looking for us? Do you have any idea how bad an idea that is right now?”
She huffed and fell back in the armchair, then bolted forward, eyeing the cushions for dirt. “I’m desperate, Connie. If I don’t get your father out of that hotel, I’m going to scream. He needs something to do.”
I didn’t laugh, but I did smile. My parents loved each other but tended to get on each other’s nerves. “Okay. I’ll think of something.”
In a bright flash of pink, Joe burst into the air. He held a take-out cup half as tall as he was. A tag on a string dangled from the lid. He held the cup out to my mother. “I thought you might be here and like some tea, Momma Grey.”
My mother popped the lid on the cup and inhaled. “You are such a dear, Joey. Earl Grey is my favorite.”
Joe threw me a smug look over her head. “Is it? I had no idea. Great minds drink alike.”
My mother giggled. “You are so naughty. Where were you last night? I thought you might drop by.”
Joe fluttered over by the window. “I was helping some children with their lessons.”
I shook my head. “Children? Really, Joe? You were with children?”
Joe shrugged. “Everyone is someone’s child. I didn’t say how old they were.”
My mother bubbled with laughter.
“Suddenly, I remember something I didn’t miss when you moved to Ireland, Ma,” I said.
She drank her tea, the amusement fading from her eyes. “Speaking of Ireland, I’ve been trying to contact Nigel. You wouldn’t happen to know where he is, would you?”
I feigned nonchalance. “I haven’t seen him. We’re not on the best of terms anymore.”
She hummed. “I heard. I’m not going to interfere in whatever is going on between you, but I’d like to speak to him.”
“Why?”
“Because Nigel has insight into Maeve’s thinking. She is rushing headlong into war, and that’s never a good thing. If there’s a way to avert it, Nigel will know.”
“I don’t know, Ma. I don’t think Nigel would be interested in stopping Maeve. He’s always done her dirty work,” I said.
She gestured with her mug. “Exactly. If he’s around, she doesn’t have to do it herself. Nigel has a way of making things happen behind the scenes. We don’t need war. Maeve needs her advisor.”
I was impressed. I never talked politics with my
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