“Hi Isabella, hi Juan,” I said in greeting while doing my best not to stare at Isabella despite my desire to do so.

“Hola,” Juan replied.

“Hi,” Isabella said.

“Well, come on in,” I said as we stood in the doorway. “Can I offer you something to drink?”

“No thanks,” Gabriela replied as they entered the basement. Juan’s and Gabriela’s familiars stayed outside.

“Nothing for me either,” Isabella said.

“Beer if you have it,” Juan said only to be slapped in the back of the head by Gabriela. He looked at her. “What?”

“You know Jase doesn’t drink that stuff,” the merchant replied. Juan shrugged in reply.

“Yeah… no beer here. I’ll have a batch of mead in a few days though,” I said.

“You’re doing great!” Lily whispered over our bond. I looked up and noticed her Yam, Willow, April, and May in the rafters. They all waved at me.

“What are you looking at?” Gabriela asked.

“Pixies,” Isabella said before I could answer. Her aunt and Juan looked from her up to the rafters and spotted the pixies. The pixies smiled and waved even harder.

“Just don’t get any ideas,” I told Lily over the bond.

“Too late!” my familiar replied. I coughed to keep from laughing.

“So, it’s true that you’re bonded to a pixie and welcome them into your home then?” Isabella asked me with wide eyes. “Aunt Gabby and Juan had told me it true, but I didn’t believe it.”

“Do you have a problem with that?” I asked as Lily flew to me and landed on my right shoulder.

“I’ll zap her if she does,” Lily muttered.

“No! I think it’s great!” Isabella gushed. “I’ve always thought pixies were amazing!”

“Izzy, you might be laying it on a bit thick,” Juan said.

“It’s the truth!” Isabella protested while blushing slightly. “I’ve always thought pixies were fine to have around.”

“Yay!” Willow and Yam quietly cheered from the rafters.

“She’s not just saying that either,” Gabriela said. “She was fascinated by their wings as a child and wanted them for herself.”

“Aunt Gabby!” Isabella exclaimed making the older woman chuckle.

“Nooo!” Willow and Yam cried loudly making Lily and me laugh.

“Who said that?” Juan asked looking around.

“Yam and Willow,” Lily answered.

“Pixies can talk?” Isabella asked in disbelief.

“Yeah, they can be quite the blabbermouths when they want to be,” I answered.

“Hey!” The pixies in the rafters shouted.

“Jase!” Lily whined.

“It’s true,” I shrugged.

“Yeah…” Lily agreed.

“Is this some sort of open secret?” Gabriela asked.

“It was supposed to be a secret, but…” I started to reply.

“Jase and I just stopped trying to keep it one,” Lily finished for me.

Gabriela looked thoughtful, while Juan looked shocked by the news. Isabella looked… happy and the pixies noticed.

“There might be hope for humanity after all,” Lily muttered telepathically to me.

“What am I, chicken poop?” I asked the same way.

“Perhaps…” Lily teased. “But you’re my chicken poop if you are.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I replied.

“I think I’m going to get a cart and some help so we can take the boss’ order back to the caravan,” Juan said.

“That’s a good idea,” Gabriela replied. She pointed at the piled-up items near the door before looking at me. “Is that my order?”

“Yes,” I answered.

“I’m on it, boss,” Juan said before exiting the basement.

“I think we scared him,” April said. The other pixies laughed.

“I think so too,” I replied. “Though pixies being able to speak shouldn’t have considering he has a familiar he can talk with.”

“That’s different,” Gabriela said. “Familiars can only talk telepathically to their bonded human, not out loud.”

“How’s it different?” Lily asked.

“Pixies aren’t magical animals,” Isabella guessed.

“Strictly speaking that’s true,” I replied.

“But we have wings, can fly, bond with humans, and do magic,” Lily added forming a ball of light above her hand.

“Hey! Not so bright,” I complained holding my left hand up to block the light from blinding me.

“Oops! Sorry!” Lily apologized dismissing the light making the two women and other pixies laugh. Then telepathically to me, “Got you!”

“I’ll get you back,” I promised.

“You could have kept the light from being so bright or dismissed it,” Lily replied.

“And show ‘magic’ to them?” I asked.

“Sure,” Lily replied.

“I don’t think most of humanity is ready for that, especially Stonecroft, which would hear about it directly from Gabriela and her niece,” I explained.

“Good point!” Lily conceded.

“You were just waiting for me to say something like that, weren’t you?” I asked.

“Yes. It shows that you’re learning, which makes me proud,” Lily answered. She then giggled, which ruined the statement.

“Um, how is this going to go?” Isabella asked.

“How’s what going to go?” Gabriela asked.

“This meeting or interview or whatever it is,” she answered.

“That’s up to Jase,” Lily replied.

“We’ll start by seeing if you know anything,” I said gesturing to the counter behind me.

“You don’t want to talk and get to know me first?” Izzy asked.

“We can do both at once,” I answered.

“Good answer,” Gabriela said as Lily flew over to the counter and landed on it. “Should I leave you two alone?”

“That’s not necessary,” Lily replied as Isabella started to walk forward and tripped. I caught her before she fell.

“Izzy, are you alright?” Gabriela asked. Izzy quickly straightened up.

“Yes,” she answered while looking down at her feet and frowning. “My laces are tied together.”

“You didn’t,” I stated turning to look at Lily.

“Not me! I was just the distraction,” Lily giggled. The other pixies quickly added their giggles to hers.

“Pixies…” Gabriela muttered.

“Booo!” Yam said.

“What?” Lily asked.

“Jase didn’t clam up like Willow and I bet he would,” she answered. “He’s been his normal self.”

“Pay up suckers!” April and May happily said. The rest of us watched as the two pixies paid off their bets by handing over two lemon drops.

“Where did those come from?” I asked suspiciously. “And why were you betting that I would clam up?”

“Well, it’s like this…” Lily replied.