Magic Burning by Harper Kaje

Author:Harper, Kaje [Harper, Kaje]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Contemporary, Mystery
Amazon: B0C5TVRH9C
Goodreads: 157842008
Published: 2023-07-26T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

Alan

Sparks rose in drifting curls from the bonfire in the big firepit as the last log collapsed on itself. I leaned against Jason, watching the red and gold embers fade to ashes as they climbed the warm currents of air. The sky had darkened until stars glittered in the east, and only a faint sunset glow rimmed the western horizon.

In a tree behind us, I heard Sunny murmur, “Good watermelon.” I’d set a big wedge in the fork of a branch for him, and he was gorging happily.

Sunny had been awesome all afternoon. Using his “parrot voice” and word repeats, he’d managed some pithy commentary while not giving away his intelligence. My favorite was when an obnoxious cousin said something to Jason’s Aunt May about “two fags around the kids” from a few feet behind us. Sunny launched from my shoulder and circled their heads chanting, “Bad words. Bad words. See kids. See kids. No bad words. No bad words.” Everyone had stared at the two of them turning red, May perhaps with embarrassment although I think the cousin was mostly pissed.

He said, “Call off your insane bird.”

I whistled to Sunny and said, “Sorry. I taught him to avoid bad language around children. Obviously, this is your picnic. You can use all the unpleasant words you want to.”

Sunny came to my shoulder but gave them one last open-beaked hiss and said, “Nasty words.”

Jason’s Aunt Chelsea came closer and frowned at the cousin. “What did you say?”

His mutter of “Never mind,” and his hasty retreat, with a slam of his truck door before he roared off down the drive, felt like a triumph.

Sunny deserved his watermelon.

I tipped my head back on Jason’s shoulder, staring up at the multiplying stars. We’d deliberately outlasted everyone there, refusing to be chased out as unwelcome. When the rest had gone, Roger asked us to watch the fire burn down while he and Chelsea cleaned up, and there’d been nothing I wanted more. This quiet time together felt like a reward for holding my tongue and smiling till my cheeks hurt.

We hadn’t won over every Miller and Miller-adjunct at the picnic, but the youngest crew were thrilled with Sunny and I got to ride his feathered coattails. They all wanted to see him again, and by extension, me. I promised we’d be at the next family picnic, and smiled blandly at a couple of sour-faced parents. If they didn’t like it, they could be the big meanies who kept their kids away from the cool bird.

Some folk like Emily, Roger, Sarah, and Chelsea were friendly and supportive, and we mostly got sideways looks from the rest, at least in earshot. As long as they kept their crap away from Jason, I’d count it a win. His parents had called goodbye to him as they left, and his mother nodded vaguely my way. It could’ve gone a whole lot worse.

I hoped Jason would sleep tonight. He’d tried not to let his tension disturb me last night, but I didn’t think he’d gotten much real rest.

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