Page 10 of Out of Sight

Ted looked at her and started laughing. “It isn’t even close, but I will take it.” She got up and hugged her childhood friend.

Nemia wasn’t weepy or sobbing; she was very tall with the jagged djinn ears that Arwell sported. The colour was just funny.

“Well, you are not a sister, but I will accept distant cousin. When did this happen?”

Nemia shrugged. “Last year. I went from social and charming to escaped from the underworld.”

Arwell asked, “Are you stuck?”

Nemia was still hugging Ted. “I look like I just took a break from flaying irritating souls. Yes. I am stuck. Can I be not stuck?”

Arwell laughed. “Yes. Finish your hug, and I will show you how to do it. We can’t flash these ears to just anyone. They are spectacular.”

Nemia chuckled. “Well, at least I already have piercings.”

Ted eased away from her friend. “You mean your ears, right?”

Nemia snorted and shoved her lightly. They both laughed, and there were no tears between them.

Nemia looked over Ted’s shoulder. “Is that giant pile of sugar for just anyone, or are you hoarding pastries now?”

Ted turned and grabbed something made of pastry and molten chocolate. “In order to receive this, you have to tell me what you did with my sweater at Halloween in senior year.”

Nemia looked at her blandly. “I put it on a scarecrow and said that she wore it better, but you filled it out better.”

Ted grinned and handed the pastry over. “Correct. You are Nemia. No insult ever stands without a compliment.”

Nemia grinned and leaned back against a counter.

Ted finally looked at Avor and Regis, and they were staring at Nemia. Ted asked, “Is she a problem?”

Arwell laughed. “Nemia, hold out your hand. I need to put a USB drive in it.”

Nemia had the pastry firmly in her face, and she extended her free hand.

When the stick was in her palm, her eyes flickered rapidly, and she smiled. “I can have some fun with that.”

She tossed the stick back to Arwell. “Thank you.”

Win said, “Where did you get that? I have the original here.”

“I made a copy. Duh.” Arwell grinned.

Win looked at the djinn. “I really want to smack you into a wall.”

Mik snickered and held up a drive of her own.

Win sighed. “You, I can take over my knee and paddle.”

Mik laughed. “Try it and pull back a stump.”

Regis cleared her throat. “Ladies, you are setting a bad example for the next generation.”

Ted looked, and Regis’s daughter was sitting with Aurora, both covered with crumbled pastry and fruit fillings.

Ted smiled. “They are setting a bad example? Those girls have an entire platter of treats in front of them, and they stopped eating. That’s a bad example.”

Regis’s daughter giggled.