Fine, I guess it's ok then. Go ahead." "Huh? What's ok?" "It's okay if you marry my brother.

Nah. I’m a consultant, of course. Everyone’s favorite nondescript yet well-paid white-collar job.

I didn't just get an idea. I got a great idea.

And besides . . . I don’t want to leave you. Er, you guys.” He smiled, and it lit up his whole face. “Well, ‘we’ are certainly happy to hear that. Oh, and I’m also happy to watch our darling little love child dragon while you’re in St. Louis.” I grinned back.

Since...since when?" I finally managed to ask. "Since...forever." His tone implied the answer was obvious.

Besides, when not hard at work with this research, I'm actually conducting a side experiment on how cigarettes and gin increase charisma. As you might guess, the results are looking very promising.

Later, I would ask Shaya to help me compose a formal response to Katrice's letter, something a long the lines of "I am the Thorn Queen. F*** Off.