However trailed off into the cry of an early rising bird. After a moment Charlie realized Graham wasn’t waiting for the bird to finish, he was waiting for her. Had he been Roland or Cameron, a Gale by blood not marriage, Charlie would have deflected. But, like Joe, in spite of anchoring second circle with Allie, Graham was outside the family power structure. Like Joe, there was a good chance he’d get the reasoning behind going to the Courts. “Jack and Joe and I may have mentioned the end of the world to a couple of full-bloods who play basketball at U of C. Just to see if the Courts had a way to stop the asteroid.”

“The Courts don’t care what happens to the MidRealm.”

“They care about basketball.”

“Save the world, save March Madness?” Graham thought about it for a moment. “That’s shallow and superficial enough to be plausible. And?”

“They can’t stop the asteroid.”

“So they figure if the world’s going to end, they might as well have some fun before it does.”

“That’s jumping to a bit of a . . .” When his brows rose, she sighed. “Yeah, probably.”

“The aunties aren’t going to be happy. Auntie Jane told you not to go to the Courts.”

“Yeah, well, Auntie Jane’s going to have to be unhappy.” She scuffed the side of her boot against the ground, watching the line of darker grass emerge as she swept the dew away. “Jack and I agreed we have to try everything.”

“So you and Jack are . . .”

“Frustrated, star-crossed, tediously cliché if you’re not into romantic angst, and not about to break that particular rule.” When Graham took a step back, both hands raised, Charlie realized she may have spit that out a bit vehemently. “Sorry.”

“Not a problem.” He shifted his weapon case until he could wrap his arms around it. Charlie decided not to mention the symbolism. “Allie said you two are destined? It’s a Gale thing?”

“We aren’t destined. I’m a free electron.” With any luck, her smile looked more believable than it felt. “We just like each other too much for the age difference.”

Graham hummed a thoughtful G flat. “You don’t find it strange that it’s all about your ages and not your species?”

Charlie shrugged. “He’d be seventeen no matter what species he was. Can we not talk about it?”

After a long moment, he nodded. “Sure. And, as it happens, I agree with your choice. About trying everything and checking with the Courts. The aunties won’t.”

“No shit. Remember I’ve known them longer than you have.” She held out her hand for his. It was time they went home. “The aunties don’t need to know.”