“Have you been watching the headlines from London today?”

“No, why?” I’m already flipping open tabs, bringing up the world news and feeding the images to the second screen over my desk. I don’t usually keep track of weather beyond a few hundred miles of Cuernavaca. But the irregular smear of green storms streaking across the radar are enough to grab my attention.

“A quake was reported there a few hours ago.”

“How bad?”

“Not as bad as 2008. Barely a four on the Richter. But check out the storms.”

I zoom in on the bursts of color radiating from London’s center. As I watch, smaller fronts begin to appear farther out, as if one weather event is triggering the next. “Looks like someone’s having a meltdown.”

“Or a lot of someones.” Amber’s eyes dart back and forth over her screen.

“Nothing Gaia and Lyon can’t handle.” This must be the reason Lyon’s running late. “Maybe they’re finally getting this rogue situation handled. The sooner, the better.” I sink back into my chair, glad for the distraction while I wait.

“Hey, speaking of Lyon,” she says, turning her attention back to me, “did you and Fleur get a weird package from him? There was a strange note and three travel vouchers inside. Something about meeting up with you and going back for a visit?”

Lyon must really want me to come home if he’s dragging Amber and Julio into it. “Are you going?”

“I’ve got two words for you, Iceman.” Julio’s face is a photobomb, framed by Amber’s red hair and the timber walls of their bedroom behind her. “No. Fucking. Way.”

“That’s three words,” she points out.

“What can I say? I have strong feelings on the subject. We nearly lost our lives trying to get out of that place.”

“Oh, come on,” she says dismissively. “It’s not like we’re being dragged back there by the ley lines. It’d only be for a few days.”

“You know what else only lasts a few days? Food poisoning, snowstorms, and a bad tequila hangover. I see no compelling reason to subject myself to any of them.”

I rest my head in my hand, scraping the edge of my desk with a fingernail as I listen to them argue. “It’s moot, anyway. Fleur already said no.”

“Maybe Julio and I can convince her. We’re long overdue for a visit. The four of us haven’t seen each other offscreen in months.”

“I have a better idea,” Julio says, wrapping his arm around Amber and moving her out of the chair so he can sit in front of the camera. He drags her into his lap and talks over her shoulder. “How about you and Fleur pack a bag and fly up to our place for a long weekend? The weather’s great. We can hit the beach, maybe do some camping—”