Life After Death

Mikaela: unprepared babysitter

{Mikaela}

Dinadan showed up at noon, which was probably the morning for him. He was in a screen T-shirt with dinosaurs on it and my mother had let his hair grow long. He looked very out of place in my big magical house.

"I brought some homework," he said. "And my model plane. Where can I paint it?"

"Ask the Torninc for an old sheet," I told him. "I'm sure a room with an extra table exists somewhere in here. But Dinadan?"

I beckoned Corryn to come over. He looked more wary than either Dinadan or me. It made me feel better. If Corryn didn't want to watch my son, then it would probably turn out all right.

"I have to go up to Vercyne. Corryn's going to stay with you today."

"I have a babysitter?" Dinadan wrinkled his nose.

Corryn folded his arms, offended. "Are you a baby?" he challenged. "Because a minute ago, I thought you were talking about homework and model planes."

"I can watch myself," Dinadan mumbled.

But I patted my son on the head. "I'll be back soon," I promised and then vanished before either of them could complain at me some more.

Vercyne was quiet, or at least quieter than it normally was. I only came up for important meetings nowadays, but I needed to talk to Juliet and I wanted to talk to Blaise. If I recalled, it was Amy's birthday next week. I didn't know if he was doing anything for it.

Blaise would be the easier one to talk to first, I decided. It was a reasonably short request.

I wandered down the halls until I found his office, knocking at the door. The grunt inside wasn't particularly welcoming, but I opened the door anyway. Blaise looked startled, rising from his chair. I shut the door behind me.

"Oh, I thought you were Adele," He sighed, sitting back down. "Are you here for the trial?"

"Didn't Parliament rule I couldn't be there?" I asked. "Do they miss me? Quinn, you can be honest."

"No, I just forgot, sorry." He shook his head at my jest, shuffling papers. "What do you need?"

"Nothing has serious as government," I told him. "Amy's birthday is next week. Do you have plans?"

Blaise grimaced, to my amusement. But Amy had not spent long enough in Otherworld to forget birthdays or anniversaries. Faeries seemed to forget those things as soon as they could.

"I was thinking of a nice dinner, somewhere fancy," I said. "Maybe, New York? We can afford it, that's for certain."

"Works for me," he replied.

"How is the trial coming?" I inquired.

Blaise groaned, and shook his finger at me.

"I blame you," he said. "All your new laws and rules. I know that it will be a simple case, but it's new to everyone. Despite this, it's going to be incredible boring. Land feuds always are."

"I'd help, but I'm not allowed." I smiled, knowing that no one actually needed my assistance. The laws should hold up themselves.

"Meddling woman," he grumbled.

I gave him a little curtsy and turned for the door. "I'll make the reservations, and let you know. Good luck with Parliament."

"Thank you," he called.

The hallways seemed too empty for any trials to be taking place. But I supposed we were on the upper floors and all of the other nobles were lower in Vercyne. It was nice to be above the theatrics.