"Maybe we'll work on that magic-and-knife combo we talked about," said James, which did not fill Alex with happy thoughts.
Cody beamed. "Yes, most definitely. I'll be here with knives on as soon as you send word."
"Horace is doing really well, he doesn't seem to have the same power problems we do, lucky boy," said Julian, stroking his fingers over the bird.
"I seem to recall being very tied to the Source at first," said Cody, "though it was so long ago, it's hard to remember."
Alex chuckled. "Any excuse for us to be homebodies is a good excuse," he teased. "Think of all the weird inventions I can do in my mad wizard lab."
"Hah!" said Julian. "I told you it was a mad wizard lab."
"I'm simply bowing to your superior wisdom," said Alex, kissing his hair and setting his juice glass down.
Everyone else took that as a signal to hurry up eating, though Alex was really just trading the glass for another cup of tea. He'd get coffee when they got to the Agency, of course, but that was an entire forever away, or so it felt.
Emptied platters began to drift away from the table, to be replaced by a small number of treat tins. "One for Jones, one for Murielle and Thomas, and one for that nice Ellen at Saveur," said Alys.
"And one for us?" asked Julian, making puppy eyes.
"Aye, th'big one's t'keep you all fed up," she said grumpily. "I wouldn't neglect ye that way."
"That's because you're the best," said Alex with a grin.
Jones knocked at that moment, though it wasn't a surprise as Alex had felt him crossing deeper and deeper into the wards. It swung open without anyone's intervention and Jones wiped his feet on the mat before coming inside, buttoned up in his formal coat and looking far too cheerful for early morning.
"Cody! Are you coming into the city with us?" asked Jones, spotting their bonus guest.
"No, no, just visiting to hear about their recent adventures," said Cody. "It sounds all very tedious, having to check everything one eats and drinks."
"It was," said Alex, with great feeling.
Everyone chuckled, and a to-go cup of tea floated out for Jones to enjoy while the rest of them got themselves put together and ready to go.
"One of these boxes is for you, too, as usual," said Julian, waving at the stack on the table.
Jones made a 'th' face before he caught himself and said, "Alys is a wonder," instead.
Boots and coats and boxes were all soon sorted, and Cody traipsed out into the snow wearing an absurd creation of furs that made him look primeval, then belied the need for it bywalking atop the snowbanks rather than through them, leaving the landscape pristine even after his passage.
"Showoff," said Alex, getting into the car and finding it already warmed up thanks to Jones' professional skills, which were also a kind of magic as far as he was concerned.
"So," said Jones, "will you tell me what actually happened up there?"
They groaned, but Alex and Julian told the tale one more time, skipping over some of the boring bits but hitting all the poisonous highlights. It passed the time as they drove into the city, anyway, and soon enough they were parked and headed to the diner to pick up coffees for everyone.
Chapter 33
They brought Agent Wu a coffee and found he already had their temporary badges ready; even Alex didn't rate a permanent one these days. They headed up to Lapointe's office with a tray and a cheerful enough disposition, though some of the latter vanished as the elevator door opened on the sounds of someone yelling in very posh tones.
"...not going to stand for this abuse of my daughter!" the man was saying, presumably Miss Halliwell's father.
"You're welcome to provide your daughter with a lawyer," an even voice was saying, "but I'm afraid she is being held on very solid evidence, and will not be released. She is also not being abused, and I resent the implication otherwise."
"A lady of her station should never spend the night in a cell!" countered the man.
As they snuck into the bullpen, they saw Lapointe's boss going head to head with the lord in question, absolutely livid looking but keeping a civil tongue in his head. "A lady of her station should never poison half a dozen people, either."
That nearly sent the lord into a fit of apoplexy, and he finally sputtered out, "Lawyer! You'll hear from my lawyer!" and stormed out, nearly upsetting the tray of coffees.
