Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
That seemed like an after-our-date conversation but I wasn’t sure we’d ever be left alone enough to have one.
But as we used the transportation spell to go to my home, I had thought about how to fix that situation.
I was going to put it on his calendar.
No one had tried to claim tomorrow’s dinner, so before I changed clothes, I quickly edited his time and indicated he had a meeting. Leaving the details vague would not be questioned because too many people had done that already. I was just using it strategically instead of out of laziness.
“Should I ask what you just did?” My mate gave me a very Daddy grin as I shrugged and did my best to combine looking innocent and slightly sneaky. “Nope. I’m not going to ask. I think I’ll let you surprise me.”
“I’m going to change clothes and make sure to feed you.” If that was a slightly dubious answer that left out important details…oops. The characters from my books would definitely approve of my behavior so that let me know I was making the right choice.
****
Interesting.
It seemed all the people of Earth had been badly invited to the earlier meeting because they were slowly making their way toward the conference room looking a bit like zombies from a horror story.
Ah.
Caffeine.
My mate was not highly addicted to the substance because he was smart, but it seemed like others had not made the same good decisions.
“Do you…do you know why the meeting was changed?” Wren’s question was accompanied by a yawn, but the meaning was clear.
“No.” My response was accurate but his glare said he did not appreciate it.
His mate saved him from rude behavior, however, even if Toman did not seem impressed either. “Are your schedules being changed without warning too?”
“Yes.” My mate took over, shaking his head. “It’s becoming a problem. Too many people trying to help and make decisions, I think.”
As more of the people of Earth gathered around us, Wren sighed. “Somehow our council seems to be able to organize shit better.”
“Because your cousin was an amazing…taskmaster.” Beatrice managed not to say anything controversial but still got snickers from several of the other people of Earth.
“We need more…organizers here and less…helpers.” Wren seemed to have decided to behave, which left me wondering what Toman had said to him.
“I agree.” My mate wanted to sigh but kept that expression of emotion to himself as he tried to explain the schedule change. “But I’m sure there’s a reason for it. I know some of the leaders were trying to arrange for times where we could meet with more locals.”
That was a point I had not considered.
“An early morning meeting may be easier for some people with families.” Most jobs were fairly flexible and could be paused for important events but children were not always flexible creatures.
As everyone nodded in a thinking manner, acknowledging my idea, they quietly gave options and chatted as we got closer to the conference room. My mate used the time to do his touching base conversations, but it was clear everyone was not content.
“Did anyone bring real coffee?” Beatrice studied everyone hopefully while Wren groaned.
Again.
“The half tea and half coffee drink they’ve got stocked in the kitchen doesn’t really taste like either and I can’t get used to it.” She seemed to be trying again to get help but I was fairly certain I was missing the subtext of her smile or tone. “No one?”
Shrugs from the people of Earth seemed normal but her glance at Wren lasted too long. Oh. Was she suspicious? Was that another form of the facial expression? How did smiling too widely indicate that?
“I was curious to know if a mage could duplicate a food that humans might want to bring with them when they travel.” My mate glanced over at Hugh, the Team Boring member who liked to frown. “Like a traditional steak?”
Oh.
“Do you think they could do that?” Looking more excited for meat than I had expected, I wondered if it was somehow more special than dino nuggets. Hugh was not the person to ask, however. “Chicken steaks weren’t meant to be a thing.”
Chicken steaks?
Did they come big enough for that?
“I thought it’d taste like a large nugget but it didn’t.” Wren frowned but at least he was not making sound effects any longer. “I don’t understand how they do that. They taste like chicken but it’s wrong.”
What tasted like chicken?
Oh.
The steaks that they’d been served for a recent meal?
My mate seemed like he wanted to laugh but he kept his professional expression. “We’ll have to compare notes for my report and we’ll see if the food copying spell is a thing.”
Toman and I both shrugged, but he took the question seriously instead of just focusing on the privacy aspect as little me had. “Logically it should be able to be done, but I don’t know how the spell would be constructed. I’ll have to think about that.”