Life After Death

Lionel: some girl

{Lionel}

I moved my nightstand next to my hammock, and then stood back looking at my handiwork. My mother wasn't happy about me moving up to the roof, but Dad had convinced her that it would be easier with me up here. I wanted to fly, and being cooped up in a room, with wings that couldn't stretch out, wasn't going to work.

With wind magic, I could keep rain and other weather out of my 'room.' But I didn't care. It was good to get out of the crazy manor below with my seven brothers. No more Parsifal bursting in my door, trying to catch me with a girl. Dagonet couldn't collect my feathers for his experiments. I could relax, jump off the roof and just be.

The initial panic of growing extra appendages turned into excitement, especially since I could fly proper now. Juliet still said I was too thin and not eating enough, but I was eating all the time, and was tired of listening to Juliet.

"It's a nice little setup you got out here."

I turned to see Dagonet leaning against the door, smiling at me.

"It's the closest thing to moving out," I replied. "Without having to pay for actually moving."

"I don't want to move my lab," he agreed. "But I have a couple more years."

"Parsifal's already gone to Vercyne," I said. "Working with Juliet."

"It's only because that girl Juliet hired," Dagonet scoffed. "Have you seen him? He's so in love with her, it's only a matter of time before he spontaneously combusts."

"Gawain hasn't left," I pointed out. "He's been out of school for ages."

"Like he leaves his room enough to notice that he's here," Dagonet replied.

I turned to the edge of the roof, wondering what my brother would do if I just jumped off and flew away. He'd probably go through my things.

"Anyway," he continued. "Dinner's almost ready. Mom was hoping you would come down."

"All right," I muttered, but followed my brother down the winding staircase to the dining room. When we were little, dinner was more of a formal affair. But now that everyone was old enough not to be completely motivated by cake, it was loud, messy, and usually fun.

We slid into our seats as Ryon set down two large dishes. My mother smiled.

"Enchiladas? Really, Mick?" Dad asked. "You know I can't handle anything spicy."

"These are not spicy, you big baby," she replied, helping to serve Gawain and Dagonet. "Come on, we had meat loaf yesterday at your request. That's not even a food."

The twins and Galahad seemed to be embroiled in a furious game of tic-tac-toe, but this ended with the enchiladas.

Hazel daintily picked it apart, eating the chicken out of it and making the rest into a smiling face on her plate. She turned it around so I could see.

"You could just eat it," I replied, taking a bite of my own.

"What would be the fun in that?" she demanded.

I wondered what life would have been like if Hazel and Galahad hadn't stayed with us. Mom had said they were only staying until Parliament met, and then she got used to Galahad around the house and Hazel being the only other girl. They were as much a part of the family as Gawain or the twins. Maybe more than the twins, at least Galahad and Hazel had their own names. Hazel and I would go flying occasionally, now that her wings, delicate pink gossamer, were growing in.

I stabbed part of her enchilada face and ate it, much to her amusement.

"So you're all moved onto the roof," Mom remarked. "Have you got a shield or something up for rain?"