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I smell bacon.

Yes. The little gargoyle insisted.

Ah.

I was going to surprise you with pastry in bed.

I love that. But I’ll come down.

“Were you talking to Cullen?”

“Hmmm?” He pulled out some waffles, then put in more batter.

“Just then,” Corbin said. “Your eyes went a little unfocused and you kind of went away.”

“’Way!” Elliot clapped his hands, and the magpie chittered and screeched.

“Good lord. Do they always do that?” He stared at the magpie.

“Gods, yes. I have a feeling it will only get worse over the years.”

“Wow.”

“Morning, you lot,” Cullen said as he wandered into the room, yawning.

“Morning, bro. You need to keep this one. He cooks.”

“He does.” Cullen yawned again. “Among other things. Hello, my little gargoyle.”

“Magic!” Elliot watched Cullen raptly. “Puweeeeese?”

The magpie chittered, and Cullen laughed. He cupped his hand and blew into it, and a flurry of tiny birds flew out, all of them cackling like ravens and crows.

The magpie chased, and he tilted his head, laughing. “Does he have a name?”

“Who?” Cullen asked.

“The magpie.”

“Eddie,” Corbin told him.

“As in Eddie Munster?”

“No, as in Ed Sheeran, but Eddie seems to fit him better.”

Orion laughed, humming a few bars of “Shape of You”, which was his favorite Ed Sheeran song.

“Very nice,” Cullen approved.

“Thank you, my love. Corbin, can you pull the bacon out of the?—”

“Do you all have my child?” Cosmo staggered into the kitchen, looking all askew, his robe not quite tied right, his hair everywhere.

“We do. We’re about to feed him.”

“Oh.” Cosmo glared at Elliot. “Did you come with Corbin?”

“Wif Ed!”