Than had a fancy serving tray that was probably real silver. On it he had placed two mugs filled to the brim with chocolate and extra-tiny marshmallows in a frothy pink foam, a large wooden bowl of popcorn, and two smaller matching bowls. There was also a little dish of strawberries, and another of chocolates that I assumed had raisins in the middle of them.
He placed the tray on the table, then considered the empty chair, the space beside me on the couch, and to my very great surprise, chose the couch.
He oh-so-casually drew the other throw off the back of the couch and placed it in his lap, exactly like mine, staring straight ahead at the screen where the movie was paused on the opening credits.
Spud sniffed at the spider slippers, sniffed at the blanket, then sat and stared adoringly at Than.
Than placed one hand on the cushion between us. That was all the invitation Spud needed. He hopped up, squooshing between the two of us. I thought he’d want to snuggle me, but he put his head on Than’s lap and sighed like he’d just found his favorite bed in the world.
Than bent, gathering a mug of cocoa, a bowl of popcorn, and a strawberry for himself.
He hadn’t said anything more, I hadn’t either, but the mix of cocoa and popcorn was too good to resist. I took a mug and a bowl and tried the cocoa first. It was delicious.
“I see you’ve chosen a film?”
“We don’t have to watch it,” I said.
“Oh?” Than turned to me now. “Would you prefer other sleepover activities? Nail paints? Pillow forts? A mirror in which to call forth that bloody child Mary?”
“You’ve really done your research on sleepovers.”
“Becoming a part of Ordinary entails learning the local customs. Blending in.” He dipped his strawberry in the marshmallow foam and took a neat bite.
I stuffed my face full of popcorn so I wouldn’t tell him that blending in was not his strong suit. He was trying. That counted.
“Or, perhaps you would reconsider…gossip?”
He sounded so hopeful, I laughed, spraying popcorn bits. I slapped my hand over my mouth, chewed, swallowed. “Sorry,” I choked out. “I never thought you’d want to talk trash about people.”
“Shall we try it and find out?”
“I don’t…no. I don’t think so. Hey, didn’t you have a cold yesterday?”
“Apparently common viruses do not survive long in my presence. Would you like to talk instead about the hell spell that demon bound you with?”
I scowled and crunched more popcorn. “You see that, huh?”
“Yes.”
“It’s Bathin’s uncle.”
“Yes.”
“I stole the sweat of your brow for the spell. I didn’t know I was doing it, though. Because my stupid soul still has stupid holes in it.”
He waved long fingers as if that wasn’t a conversation that interested him. “It is healing as it should. Where is he?”
“Jail. The dragon pig’s watching him.”
Spud lifted his head when I said dragon pig, looked around for his buddy, then settled his head down again, sighing.
“I don’t recall the dragon being deputized.”
I smiled a little at that. “Not that jail. It took him to the other jail.”
Than put a piece of popcorn—just one—in his mouth and chewed while watching me. “Other jail.”
“We have a…um…magic jail. For the people who need that type of containment. Honestly, we don’t use it very much, but Myra rigged it up for demons after that whole Bathin and Xtelle thing.”
