Chapter Four

FOUR

PARTNERS-OF-BADASSES GROUP CHAT

A ISLING

Thank you, May, for your comprehensive summary of the discussion we had last night. I'm so glad you were taking notes, because it was a bit confusing at times.

YSOLDE

Yes, thank you. Karma, did Pixie say anything about how the date went? Brom tried to act cool after he came home, but I swear he just about floated up the stairs. I'm not looking forward to him finding out that love isn't always happy songs and steamy kisses.

KARMA

Pixie, on the other hand, was very nonchalant and all was normal until Adam was out of the room, and then she got a bit giggly when she told me how Brom dropped his fish-and-chips down a sewer grate, and how he bought her a second helping because he said she was too thin. I tried to point out that he doesn't have the right to judge her body, but she dismissed that, because she told Brom she liked his chest and arms a lot, and if she could make comments about him, he could do the same about her. Oy. Being a mom to a seventeen-year-old is much more of a trial than I imagined.

Allie

Thank the goddess you have Adam to help. It sounds like he's been through it with his own daughter.

Karma

He has, and I am truly grateful for him keeping me on an even keel with Pixie. Not that I want to complain, because on the whole, Pixie is a wonderful person. She's bright, and imaginative, and loves to cook, and even helps me with my imps. But the emotions! Lord, the emotions!

Ysolde

It's running high at our house, too. The emoting! The dramatic statements! The fire everywhere! At least Baltic is on top of dragon training, which Brom sorely needs. Ah, well. It is what it is, and we'll just have to cope as best we can, including turning a blind eye to Brom's overly long, and multiple-times-a-day frequency of, showers. But enough about our young lovers. Is everyone up to speed on Project Thane?

Thaisa

Hi, all, from the West Coast of the U.S. I've been following along with the Saga of Brom and Pixie with much delight—and obvious sympathy to the parents involved—but I'm really here because I want to mention our offer of assistance in the whole thane thing. Archer's brother, Hunter, is en route to France, and he said he'd be happy to stop by London and help if he's needed.

Aisling

I'll add him to our list of resources, but I think I can handle getting the reaper lined up, and then it's just a matter of sending her into the super-high-security section. Oh! I forgot to mention that I had a long chat with first Nora, then Caribbean Battiste, the head of the Guardians' Guild, and picked their respective brains about the Thirteenth Hour. CB says it's a fool's errand to try to get anyone out of there, since they had to be "world-catastrophe level of bad" to be put there in the first place. I didn't let Jim hear that, since no one wants to hear their parent was that sort of bad.

May

Speaking as someone who has a fairly long history with Jim, I hope I'm not out of line in saying that Jim's dad being the founder of Abaddon just seems to fit, if you know what I mean.

Aisling

Oh, don't worry, Drake and I both see the irony of the situation, but just as Jim isn't truly evil, I have hopes that maybe his dad was misunderstood. Or something.

Ysolde

I don't think it works that way. Not with demigods, anyway. And this one had to have some dangerous proclivities if he felt what the world needed was a group of powerful demon princes bent on causing chaos and harm to the mortal world.

Sophea

I don't know. ... Rowan and I are addicted to a YouTube channel that exposes entitled people behaving horribly at grocery stores, and I'm not sure how much better the world is because of them.

Sophea

Oh goddess! Now I sound as judgmental as them! Please forget I sent the last message.

Aisling

Don't worry about it. We've all met bad people, both immortal and mortal. So, I think we're set, unless there is any other business re Bad Thane? If so, I have to go see Drake off for his trip to Budapest. He's popped his head into this room three times, and each time he gets a bit smokier around the nostrils.

Karma

I wondered if I was seeing things last Christmas! So, they really do puff smoke?

Ysolde

Oh, yes. All dragons, male and female, can blow fire and smoke. Baltic doesn't do the latter often because he says it makes his nose tickle, but he will do it unintentionally when he's driven beyond his admittedly thin line of patience. Usually whenever a certain demigod is around.

Charity

The First Dragon loves him, too.

Aisling

Hi Charity! Did you have any luck talking to the FD about him popping into this Thirteenth Hour place?

Charity

I did speak to him. He just hummed to himself for a few seconds, then said he had a vague memory of the three who started Abaddon, and that he did not feel it was of importance to the dragonkin to interfere. Knowing that you guys want to help Allie and her vampire, I pointed out that it might not directly benefit dragons, but that it could help the mortal world. He said it could also harm it in ways no one could conceive, and that his children and the children of the thanes had it within their power to do what was needed. And then he went off to help his Egyptian god brother with something to do with a prisoner in the Duat.

Bee

What? Is Bael at risk of escaping? Oh man. I'm going to have to tell Constantine, and he's twitchy with weather being nice enough that I take the baby out for walks. If he thinks Bael is about to break out of the Duat, he'll go berserk with worry.

Sophea

How is little Winter doing?

Bee

Peachy keen now that she's past a nasty ear infection. But you know how Constantine is—he's convinced that anything outside our home means imminent death for her, so we seldom go anywhere other than walks in the park across the street. But don't let me sidetrack the discussion.

Aisling

OK, that was the fourth and most pointed look from Drake yet, so I'd better hop off. I'll be in contact once I get hold of the Broker. Later, everyone!