event.
We reached our floor and entered our palatial suite. I was adjusting to living in a portion of a huge building that was larger than the house Iâd grown up in, but I still wasnât a hundred percent comfy with it, and I didnât know if I ever would be. Had we not had the Elves, Iâd have hated this place based solely on having to keep it clean.
But we had the Elves and theyâd prepared Jamieâs dinner for me. Because the Elves wisely didnât trust my food prep skills. I didnât always make the smoke alarms go off, but I was close to batting a thousand.
The boys let the cats and Poofs out, and then I sent them to take the dogs for walkies. The Peregrines had their own areas, courtesy of the Elves, both in our rooms and at the Zoo, where they did their business, so to speak. They were really good at acting unlike every other bird out there and holding it until they were in their Dump Zone. I was grateful for this for a variety of reasons, Jeffâs reactions to the idea of casual bird poop dropped in his home being number one.
Jamie was midway through both her dinner and the recounting of her exciting day spent with the letters of the alphabet, the colors of the rainbow, and the numbers one through ten when the boys and dogs returned, bringing Jeff along with them.
âDaddy!â Jamie was still in her highchair. Or rather, sheâd been in it. But I blinked and she was out of it and in Jeffâs arms. Her plate and cup hadnât moved. At least not that Iâd seen. Meaning sheâd used hyperspeed.
Heaved a sigh. Had to determine if this was a battle worth fighting while Jeff gave Jamie tons of Daddy Kisses and she started telling him about her dayâat hyperspeed.
When A-Cs talked at their normal speeds, it made the humans in attendance woozy. While I was enhanced, my hearing had yet to catch up and I got nauseous fast. I could tell the boys, cats, and dogs werenât enjoying it either.
âSlow down, Jamie-Kat,â Jeff said soothingly. âWe need to talk slowly so we donât make everyone else here feel sick.â
âToo late,â Len said quietly. He sat down at the breakfast bar. Kyle followed suit. âYou know, has anyone considered you guys just talking at what youâd call normal speeds as a viable weapon?â
Jeff and I looked at each other. âNo,â he said slowly. âBut itâs an interesting idea.â
âBad idea if publicized,â Kyle said. âIt makes you scarier than you already are. I mean, Iâm not scared of you guys, but thatâs because Iâm on your side and you know it.â
Jamie looked at all of us, a worried expression on her little face. âSorry.â
I got up, took her from Jeff, and gave her a snuggle. âItâs okay. But thatâs why we have to practice being more like Mommy than Daddy sometimes. Okay?â
She hugged me. âOkay, Mommy. Iâll talk to the kitties and puppies more.â
âUm, the kitties and puppies donât like it when you talk fast, either, Jamie-Kat.â
Jamie shot a look toward me I was becoming familiar withâher âoh, Mommy, you see but you do not
observe
â look. âI meant like you do, Mommy. In their minds.â
CHAPTER 10
H AD TO SAY this for Len and Kyleâthey knew, absolutely, when it was time to make a hasty retreat.
âWe need to dress for dinner,â Len said as he stood quickly.
âRight,â Kyle agreed. âCall us when you need help getting the animals over to the Pontifexâs residence.â
With that, the two of them took off. They didnât run, but they definitely didnât stroll, either.
The front door closed and Jeff and I looked at each other. âYou talk to the animals in their minds?â he asked finally.
âI guess.â
âI mean, not giving verbal commands you thought of, but by thinking at the animals without speaking and them
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