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“So, do you ride horses at home?” It was a shockingly thoughtful question from Fred. Corvus narrowed his eyes at him in suspicion. What game was he playing?

But Pearl, who didn’t know Fred at all, simply answered. “I mean it is a bit of a stereotype that everyone in Texas rides horses, but I guess I fall into it. My grandparents owned horses, and I rode them as often as I could.”

“You know Corvus here has a hippocampus - has he taken you to meet her yet?”

There it was. Corvus would have kicked Fred under the table if he’d been sure he wouldn’t kick one of the ladies in the process. Pearl was looking at him with her heart in her eyes. “Do you really, Corvus? I’ve always, always wanted to see one! Is she like a horse, or are her fish traits more dominant?” Pearl paused and then gasped as a new thought hit her. “Does she allow you to ride her?!”

“Maybe we’ll go see her sometime,” Corvus hedged. Laughing nervously, he tried to change the subject, but Pearl didn’t easily let go of subjects that interested her.

“Where does she live? What is her name? How long have you had her?”

In a move that couldn’t have shocked him more, Prudence became Corvus’ savior. “Pearl I need to visit the loo. Will you join me?”

Pearl was surprised, but she answered pleasantly. “Of course.”

As soon as they left the table, Fred started laughing uproariously, and Corvus did kick him under the table this time. “I thought you wanted to get to know her, you git, not throw me under the bus.”

Unphased by the kicking, Fred continued to laugh. “You should have seen your face, mate. She lit up like a Christmas tree - this won’t be the last you hear of the hippocampus.”

Throwing up his hands, Corvus decided he’d visit the loo as well if only to get away from this idiot for a few minutes. He was alone in the bathroom, and as he washed his hands, he heard the sound of two familiar voices. Realizing that the men’s and women’s restrooms were butted against each other, he could hear every word of Pearl and Prudence’s conversation.

Corvus’ mother had taught him that eavesdropping was very middle class unless you were absolutely certain you wouldn’t get caught. And really he was just washing his hands. He couldn’t help it if the insulation between the two bathrooms was paper thin.

“Blokes like them aren’t long term. They always fall in line with mummy and daddy’s wishes.” Of course that was Prudence.

“So why are you dating Frederick?” A reasonable question, Corvus thought.

“Because we both know where we stand. He’s fit and flippant and I’m gonna make him dream of me when he’s married to his high born wife who hates his guts.” Good Lord, did Fred know how to pick ‘em. This woman was going to chew him up and spit him out (a very descriptive expression he’d learned from Pearl), and Fred was probably going to love every minute of it.

Pearl’s thoughts seemed to follow Corvus’ “That doesn’t sound very healthy, Pru.”

Scoffing, Prudence popped her lips as she finished reapplying her lipstick. “Please. I’m the closest that man is going to get to healthy in his life. At least I don’t pretend to like him like all the girls who are just after his money.”

“Just because you have this weird thing going on with Frederick doesn’t mean Corvus isn’t sincere.”

Corvus could almost hear Prudence’s eye roll. “You saw how he reacted when you said you wanted to see the hippocampus. There is a 100 percent chance it’s kept at whatever palatial manor where he grew up, and he won’t want you within 100 kilometers of that place. Cause then he’d have to make some hard choices he doesn’t want to make.”

Now he could hear Pearl’s eye roll. “Prudence, the way you talk about this you’d think it’s the 1800s. I know some elements of the class system still exist in the world, but it can’t really be that bad.”

Prudence’s sigh was long and loud. “Sometimes I forget how American you are. These families are old, Pearl. They’ve been around for hundreds of years before your country was a thought in George Washington’s head.”

“Well, Samuel Adams was actually the first and loudest supporter of independence from Britain.”

Pru cut her off. “Pearl, the point of this is not a US history lesson. It’s to tell you that the class system amongst magic users in Europe is alive and well, and I don’t want you to get your hopes up just for Corvus to dash them when he refuses to even call you his girlfriend. Or am I wrong? Has he asked you to be his girlfriend?”

There was a long pause before Pearl answered. “No…but I told him I wasn’t in a rush!”

Scoffing, Pru’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “An awesome plan. Now if you ever do ask about it, he’ll point his finger at that conversation and say ‘he’s not ready yet’ or whatever nonsense he makes up in the moment.”

Corvus felt his ire rising, but then thoughts crowded into his mind that stopped his anger in its tracks. Was she wrong? Wasn’t he pleased with the status quo Pearl had given him? Wasn’t it nice keeping her separate from the messiness his life would become if he tried to bring her into his world? And was that fair to her?

Pearl was quiet for a long time until she simply said. “I don’t think you’re giving him enough credit. I’ll trust him until he gives me reason to do otherwise.”

It was like a dagger straight through Corvus’ heart. He certainly had done very little to earn such trust. Prudence’s scoff sounded farther away, and he realized they were leaving the restroom. Corvus hustled to get back to the table before them, and plopped down and tried to look relaxed as though he’d been there all along. Fred, ever helpful, said, “Mate, did you just run a marathon? You’re breathing like a fat race horse.” Corvus wasn’t sure if they were going to make it to dessert without him murdering Fred.

The girls came back giggling, and Corvus was already missing his small glimpse into their inner thoughts even if he did feel a bit guilty about it.

Fred asked what they were giggling about, and Prudence answered that they were giggling about the food in his teeth. Pearl immediately took pity on him and said to ignore Prudence, and Corvus felt that watching Fred and Prudence together was like watching vinegar being poured into one of those volcano science projects in school.