Page 59 of Beginning at the End
Sern answered and went to get the preferences from Delia and Den.
Eudora cleaned the grill, oiled it, and then she lined up the meat and flipped it onto the grill, one steak at a time.
Sern passed on the orders, and she said, “You might want to check on the potatoes.”
His eyes went wide, and he darted toward the kitchen.
She made the hatch marks on the steaks and took them up in order of not-doneness.
She set them out on the platter and wrapped them in foil.Sern was setting an outdoor table, and the skewers and potatoes were already in place.To her amusement, there was also a salad waiting with a few dressings.
Eudora grinned.“Boy, are you optimistic.”
Sern wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him.“You have no idea.”
She looked up at him, and there was an intent look in his eyes.“I am getting an inkling.”
Delia laughed.“Wash up and have a seat.This looks amazing.”
Eudora went and washed up before returning to the table.To her surprise, wine was poured, and everyone was waiting for her.“Wow.This is unusual.Normally, the folks I would be with would be halfway through the food.”
Sern smiled.“We have manners.They are small, but they are there.”
She smiled.“Well, I guess we should start.”She identified which steak was which, grabbed a skewer, a potato, and her own slab of beef.
She used one of the little charms she knew and summoned her favourite steak sauce.She saw Sern’s look.“Yeah, I know.I am an abomination.”
“How did you learn that spell?”
“Oh, a photographer dropped a USB drive, and this downloaded into me.This is the most overt magic I can do aside from changing my clothing.Summoning steak sauce is my big nod to wizardry.”She dumped a puddle onto the edge of her plate and started slicing her steak.
His eyes widened.“Duran said that Emhara had picked up a USB and said she got a download.What was on it?”
“It’s a collection of grimoires.The download for me was complete, but only the small object teleport was accessible.”
Sern blinked.“Interesting.No portal?”
“Nope.Well, there is one, but it is very loud and very messy.I have to rip a hole in space.I don’t particularly want to do that.”
Den swallowed what he was chewing.“Wise.”
Eudora grinned.“I know, right?”
They ate, and Eudora kept eating until she couldn’t get one more mouthful in.She groaned.“I am done.”
Sern grinned and looked over.“May I?”
She blinked as she realized that it was a mating ritual, even with humans.She nodded and eased her plate toward him.He looked at her plate curiously and took some of the third of the steak she had surrendered, dipping it into the leftover sauce.His brows went up.
He looked at the sauce.“May I?”
She nodded.“It’s your plate now.When I surrender, I do it wholeheartedly.”
He smirked and tried it again.The pattern continued, and she smirked.“Not bad, right?”
“Where did you get this?”He grabbed the bottle and read the label.
“I make it myself.This is one of two bottles that survived the move.”
