“Little bit.”

“Are you going to tuck me in?” The humming probably meant something. Given the way he stumbled when it stopped, he suspected it was holding him up.

“As much as I admire your tenacity, no. But I will walk you to your room and see that you make it as far as the bed.”

“Good.” Jack bounced off the wall as they went around the hall corner, bounced off the edge of his door, bounced as he landed on his bed. “Ow. I think I found my Flames belt buckle.”

“Dork.”

Since he might have been imagining her kiss against his hair, he didn’t open his eyes to check. Burying his face in her scent as she spread her quilt over him, he fought to stay awake long enough to ask, “Did my uncle fly past this mo . . .”

“The dragon lord flew over about half an hour before Jack landed.” Allie passed Charlie a piece of toast. “I’m surprised he didn’t notice.”

“Winnipeg and back? He’s pretty baked. Plus . . .” Charlie licked at the plum jam dripping down her wrist. “. . . I don’t imagine there’s much meat on a Siren.” Dropping to the sofa beside Graham, she helped herself to his coffee as he channel surfed. “So, what’s new this morning.”

“Report of a sea serpent in Boston Harbor,” he grunted, “but it’s all hearsay, no actual evidence. And there’s a rumor of a Spurs player with an ass’ head.”

“A call me Bottom ass’ head? Or is he just an ass? Because in professional sports that’s not exactly rare.”

“Full midsummer night’s dream team.”

“Huh.” Charlie ate the last of her toast and thought about it. Given that the younger members of the Court had borrowed from Tolkien, it wasn’t all that surprising their elders borrowed from an older source. “I guess Oberon’s a Spurs fan and he’s still pissed about them losing the NBA title. Again.”

“An ass head’s a little harsh.” Allie sat down on her other side and snuggled up against Charlie’s shoulder. “And how do you know so much about basketball.”

“As it happens, that’s pretty much all I know about basketball,” Charlie admitted. She caught Graham’s hand as he was about to change the channel. “Wait. A giant beanstalk growing at a Staples?”

“At the Staples Center,” Graham corrected. “It’s where the Lakers play.”

“Basketball again? Well, that’s not obvious or anything.”

“It’s like the Courts know there’s an asteroid on the way.” Allie shifted, elbow digging into Charlie’s side. “But if it’s blocked, and since it’s unlikely they found a scientist at NASA by way of a bouzouki player, how do they know?”