“Tell us about your thesis,” Sophia said firmly. “You mentioned it earlier.”
Emmy took another sip of wine and decided her mother was trying to get along, so she should, too. They likely knew all the details already, but whatever.
“Right. So I’m focusing on hybrids and chimeras, and I’m starting with domesticated rabbits and eastern cottontails. They’re close species, but different enough … it’s kind of like mules.Ifyou can get viable offspring from a donkey and horse, it’ll be sterile. People have tried to cross the two rabbit species for centuries without luck, and I want to take luck out of the equation and figure it out genetically.”
Her father leaned back slightly, his attention sharpening.
“I’m mapping where the DNA can successfully merge and where it breaks down,” Emmy continued. “If I can show a reliable pattern in rabbits, it builds a foundation for broader hybrid studies. Eventually, I want to work with chimeric animals — dogs that are, say, lab on one side and Great Pyrenees on the other.”
“That kind of chimera occurs naturally,” Aaron said. “Two embryos fusing in utero.”
“Exactly. And studying what the genetics look like when that happens can tell us a lot about how different genetic codes interact when forced into the same organism.”
Emmy felt herself relaxing into the topic. This was safe ground. “The university accepted my proposal, and I’m working with cell samples and DNA sequencing right now. Once I’m back in Anchorage after the winter session, I’ll start breeding actual rabbits to verify my findings.”
“And after that?” Sophia asked.
She looked at Zander, and the sounds in the room faded. She knew he wasn’t reading her mind, and yet, he’d understood what she wanted — for the rest of the patrons to not hear what she said.
She looked back to her mother, “Eventually, I want to understand…” She took a breath. “I want to know how much your ability to be both swananddragon is biological versus magical. And if I can isolate the biological components…” She trailed off, seeing the implications dawn in her father’s eyes.
“You’ve found a loophole in the Concilio and Senatus rules against playing with magic at the genetic levels unless you work for them,” Aaron said quietly.
Emmy nodded, unsurprised her father had seen it so quickly. “Their rules are against looking at how much is human and how much is animal, but I won’t be looking at the human-animal aspects, only the double-animal aspect.”
Her dad glanced at Zander and then back to her. “You’ll need to be careful. Before you start, we’ll consult with a supernatural attorney and get advice on whether to pull Marco in or not.”
Emmy nodded. She’s considered that already. “I’m still years away from it. I need to learn more about how the genetics work with non-magical beings first, but someday…” Emmy took a breath. “Someday, I’m going to want DNA samples from both of you. If you’d be willing.”
The waitress appeared with their meals, and the sounds in the room returned. The four daywalkers had all ordered the special, so it was simple enough to deposit the plates and leave.
The table was silent while everyone took their first bites, and then Sophia said, “This is real work. Important work.”
“I mean, it isn’t transplanting organs and saving lives—”
“Don’t,” Spence said, his voice carrying the confident steadiness that always grounded her. “You are your own special being, using your genius brain for the things that interestyou. Both tracts are important to humanity, and trying to judge which is more important is preposterous.”
“Agreed,” Zander said from her other side. “Everyone has their talents to offer, and yours are significant in their own right.”
Emmy looked at him, and found him watching her with that steady intensity that made her feelseenin a way she’d never experienced before.
“Thank you.” She turned to Spence. “Both of you. You were right, and that means…”
She looked at her mother. “It means I owe you an apology. You were trying to be nice, and I sniped at it. I’ll try to do better.”
“And thank you forthat,” her father said. “We’ve always tried to allow each of our children to be your own person. My requirements for how I want you to live your adult lives have always been that you contribute to society and do what brings you joy. It turns out, I should’ve put something in there about not following in some of my footsteps.”
He took a sip of his wine. “Your mother doesnotneed to hear about your sexual exploits, and I’d just as soon not hear about them either. Otherwise, we both very much want to hear about what is going on in your life.”
They ate in relative silence for a few minutes, the tension easing as the food and wine did their work. The lamb was tender, flavorful, and with just enough rosemary to complement without overwhelming. It wasperfect.
“I have a friend at MIT,” Aaron said eventually. “She’s been working on disease-resistant cattle for years. Running into bottleneck issues with some heritage breeds. If you’re looking for grant opportunities after you finish your master’s, I could make an introduction.”
Emmy stared at him. “You’d do that?”
“You’re my daughter. And more importantly, you’re doing legitimate research that could help people.” He cut another piece of lamb, his movementsdeliberate. “I’m still not happy about…” He gestured vaguely at Zander and Spence. “This situation. But I’m not going to punish you professionally for your personal choices.”
“Thank you,” Emmy said softly.
