Page 84 of From the Edge

The gravies were already in thermal containers from before she went into the city for the legal visit.

The vegetables were good, and she drained them in the sink, putting them into two ceramic containers with lids.

She set them next to the pies and went to check on the dining room. She added a few place settings, pie servers, and spatulas. It was going to be a bit messy, but it was going to be good.

Edric asked, “Is there anything I can do?”

“Not until you are a renter. But right now, everything is in a heat field, so we are good to tour the exterior if you still want to.”

“I would love that. Ten minutes?”

“Sure.” She gestured and walked out through the kitchen. She felt someone looking at her and turned to see Rowan, two thumbs up on the second-floor balcony.

“The kitchen gets a lot of traffic.”

“It just seems nicer to enter through the heart.”

She showed him the carriage house, Rowan’s garden, and the childcare centre in the front of the property.

“So where were you safe?”

She walked to the woods. “Up there, in that tree. The house moved my nest into my room, as you may have noticed. Don’t get excited. I just didn’t know how to hide a treehouse.”

He chuckled. “You think I am omega hunting?”

“I have no idea what you are looking for. None of my business.”

“What if I said that I once held a scroll in my hands that vibrated and hummed with the sound of a pixie and the colours of the softest iris petals?”

“That sounds like a weird scroll.”

“It was confusing, but things suddenly make sense in a rush.”

She lifted her head. “Dinner is ready. Three others and the little family are home.”

He nodded. “Please lead the way.”

She nodded, and they walked back to the house.

Ren was helping Rowan ferry the meal to the kitchen, so Hope came back in and brought the labelled carafes with the gravy. Rowan asked, “What’s this one?”

“A recipe my foster mom taught me. All the offcuts of the chicken rolled in starch, and then before cooking, chicken stock is poured in. It forms a gravy around the meat. It looks fancy but is pretty easy when the pastry is made.”

She released the springform, and the pie remained standing when she removed the ring.

She did the same to the second and put the rings aside.

Hope looked around, and everyone was sitting with big grins. “I will get the water and lemonade and bring the beer.”

Ren grinned. “I will get it. You have a seat. You have had a big day.”

Her wings wanted to flutter, but she held them in. “I am not used to eating with people around.”

Rowan tensed. “But you ate at the barbeque.”

“When everyone was gone. I kept grilling until there was nothing more to cook.”

Rowan’s eyes widened. “When did you eat?”