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Would they be strong enough for Gwen and Mab to make peace? I hoped so, yet Gwen hadn’t looked at Mab once since we’d arrived Even while handing Mab that still-undrunk cup of coffee, she’d turned her head away Now, Mab gazed sadly at Gwen, as though re between the before her current incarnation, Mab had lost a sister, and she’d carried the pain of that loss ever since Losing Gwenup his story Justin, who’d lost interest, was pushing his choo-choo around the floor,around the neighborhood for the past feeeks, watching you all and getting otten used to this body now, I realize it’s a shock to hearout of this beak I waswell, I was afraid it ht be too freaky That you wouldn’t want " Moled with pleasure "But we definitely want you around" She looked pointedly at Gwen "After all, we’re Cerddorion We’ve always known that the person is asped and sat up straighter, as though Mohtbulb in her head

"Dad," Gwen said,the word sound al used to it "Of course you’re welcoround rules"

"Sure, Gwennie I don’t want to cause problehbors"

"It’s more than that, Dad If the authorities find out, they’ll force you to live in Deadtown"

"Hey!" I objected Gwenshut up in soeon We had our problems, but there orse places to live Personally, I wouldn’t last teeks in the suburbs

Dad chuckled "I’d like to see them try I’ve seen the checkpoints, but those are street level" He stretched out his wings "They don’t control the airspace"

"Be that as it may, here are the rules One, when you’re outside, you act like a real bird No talking NoI don’t knowno playing Frisbee or whatever Two, try not to spend too hborhood have noticed you, and so in a wildlife relocation expert A falcon is a predator, and it makes folks nervous Mrs Bau to snatch her Chihuahua"

"Okay," Dad laughed "Keep a low profile and no snatching the Chihuahua No problem"

"I’m serious, Dad I’ve worked hard to build a life here, to be accepted and fit in"

"And you think I’ll mess that up"

Gwen’s hands twisted in her lap

"Perhaps I ought to look for oing to lose hiain I don’t care what shape he’s taken on"

"No, Mom, don’t I’ure out how to adjust" Gwen pressed both hands over her eyes, as though dealing with a headache But when she looked at Dad, her eyes were clear "Dad, I’ain I’randfather But I need a little tirandfather is a bird Yes, e is Cerddorion But I’ve spentto be normal This is not norure out how to make roo fro to do with being Cerddorion She’d tolerated me because I was her sister and because she kneouldn’t e at a cocktail party She’d wanted so badly for her daughter to grow up hu forced to accept that Maria was a shapeshifter wasGwen reconsider her own relationship to our kind She wasn’t exactly eness to , leaving Gwen’s words to hang in the air like s and looked up It struck me for the first time how out of place e it reith, and then turn around to watch theainst an unbreakableof your own

Gwen’s face reddened as the silence stretched out

Mab’s cup clattered as she set it on the table in front of her "I must say, Gwendolyn, you have a very lovely home"

Gwen blinked, and for the first time in an hour looked directly at Mab "And I must say that I never expected to see you in it" They stared at each other across the coffee table

"Nor did I expect to be here" Mab’s voice stayed cal h "Why are you here, Mab? In Boston, I " Gwen sounded a little hurt at the exclusion, and I remember how she told me, after Mab’s last visit, that she’d ale party

"I’ to face so backup?" Another sharp laugh "I thought you always had to be front and center"