Page 103 of Catastrophe

She stammered, and a blush colored her cheeks. “I just assumed … Winnie, and I figured out what you were doing and we didn’t know that there was a legal option.”

“Companies ask me to break into their systems and I send them a report on what things they need to fix to prevent me from getting in. But it’s really not thrilling.” He explained. Not that it helped my understanding. Human technology was a magic I’d yet to comprehend. Charlie glanced at me and pulled a face before saying, “Hence why I let aliens come to my house and agreed to take them around the world.”

“We don’t like the term aliens.” I replied with a small smile at the memory. We've come so far since then.

“Yeah, yeah, you’re otherworlders. And apparently, so am I. Who would have thought?” He chuckled and picked up Clawdia’s hand. “You’ve seen all the gross things I’ve done when I thought I was alone. You thought I was a bad guy, hacking illegally and breaking hearts, and yet you still loved me.”

“I’m a wonder,” she replied simply with a small shrug and a coy smile.

He returned that smile. “I do hear that.”

I squeezed her hand. “Our little cat has a heart big enough to love you, your disgusting habits, and us too.”

“Like you’re so perfect,” Charlie muttered and rolled his eyes.

“Your nightly wind has previously singed the hair from my brows. Thankfully, I grew them back in captivity.” I waggled them for emphasis, and everyone laughed softly.

Charlie pouted playfully and replied, “Fair point, but I can’t help what I do in my sleep.”

Clawdia pecked his cheek. “I do love you. Warts, nightly wind and all.”

He pointed a finger at her face and waggled it. “That’s hunter propaganda against witches, and I won’t stand to hear it in my relationship.”

She laughed, the sound like a warm light in the darkness, and we all relished in it. I leaned into the goodness of being together, hearing the breaths, feeling their warmth and the bonds between us buzz with energy and bounce with joy.

Clawdia combed her fingers through Baelen’s hair, but he didn’t turn around. His focus was on the screen.

“When we were in the compound, how did you make us invisible?” She asked Baelen.

He sighed and rested his head on her knee. “I went to Ombra to get my ring back from Kaatu.”

Her hands stilled, and her violet eyes turned dark with anger. “He stole your ring? After everything he did to you?” She asked incredulously. “And you went to see him?”

“I did,” Baelen replied and turned to face her, his expression neutral.

She stroked his face, and he nuzzled into it as she said softly, “That was so brave. Are you all right?”

“I … didn’t enjoy the visit.” He let out a huff of frustration. “Kaatu can rankle me in more than one way and he knows it, which infuriates me. But he gave me my ring, and a favor then offered Savida and Daithi work as educators in the realms for the shadow people who haven’t ever traveled before.”

“I’m proud of you,” she told him and kissed his forehead that left him with an amusing bemused expression.

I enjoy seeing her ruin us with simple acts of affection.

“A favor from the Shadow King may come in useful. It’s good that you could also negotiate that,” I told him.

“Daithi didn’t take his hand off accepting that offer?” Charlie asked, and I gave him a pointed look, which he returned when Baelen replied.

“He almost did. Savida stopped him.”

“I told you. Opportunist.” Charlie shook his head. “What did the hunters say? Michael and his friend.”

“Jack. They are going to rejoin the hunters. The trust in Fafnir is broken, so who knows what will happen, but they’ve made their decision and we did our best to help. We can’t do any more.”

“Stupid.” Charlie muttered and then nudged Baelen. “How did your ring turn everyone invisible? Did you know it could do that?”

“I didn’t. But thankfully, anything that touched it turned invisible too.”

We were quiet for a moment, just enjoying each other and feeling grateful as the television continued to blare nonsense. I turned my attention to the window and watched the moon illuminate the lake as it rose higher in the night’s sky. It was beautiful and calming.

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