Cambridge, Great Britain

The rush of happiness and passion that came with close intimacy with his wife was enough to temporarily evaporate the stress that had kept Moffitt's mind bound for the last several days. The knowledge that they would be free from the power-mad magpies bothering them for the next few days prompted them to spend every waking moment together as soon as Moffitt returned from consulting a group of ravens for help on where to find the magic silver sword and a sharpening stone—the last keys of their son's prophecy.

The ravens gave them a reprieve. They would stand guard for three days, but after that, it was back to business as usual.

Moffitt tried not to think about the fact that they didn't have a lot of time, but instead tried to make the most of the time they were all being given. Rest. Relax. Cherish his family. That was all he wanted.

That was all Vanora wanted as well. She had stated earlier that she wanted to spend time with Jules tomorrow, but that night belonged to her and her husband. Just them and them alone, and it was perfect.

The rush would have to end at some point. Eventually, the two were staring up at the bedroom ceiling. The room was illuminated only by moonlight, and the only sound was a gentle breeze coming through an open window. For now, it was safe to have the windows open.

Moffitt looked at Vanora, grinning a little at how messy her hair was now. "Whether you've done up your hair for a night out, or have the most horrendous bedhead, you still look lovely to me."

"You've had some wild hair days, too, you know," Vanora said. "But, you're very cute no matter how messy your hair is."

"Thanks." Moffitt gave Vanora a kiss on her forehead. "You know, if I could make one wish, it would be for this night to last just a few hours longer."

"I would, too, but I would also wish for this madness with the magpies to be over already."

"So would I, if given the choice."

Vanora was quiet for a moment, after turning to rest her head on Moffitt's shoulder and draping her arm over his chest. "Are you sure you want to go alone with Jules to the adder island?"

"Positive. I think it'll be safest if just the two of us go."

"Are you going to take Anah?"

"No. She needs to focus on recovery."

"Jack, she needs you."

"I don't want her injuring herself further."

"Troy did his best, but he told you that Anah was miserable without you. She spent most of her time wrapped up in your robe because of how much she missed you."

"This is very poor timing, that's all. I promise, I'll spend time with her. Right now, I want time with you."

"I'm specifically talking about letting her go with you and Jules."

"She shouldn't. I don't know what this trip is going to entail, but she shouldn't go because she needs to rest."

"She can't rest when she's miserable."

Moffitt sighed. "She needs to start getting used to not having me around anyway."

Vanora gave him a look of disbelief. "Where on Earth is this coming from, Jack?"

"When Jules is ready to move out and start his own life, Anah will be going with him."

"Anah's not ready to think about that, especially now."

"I know, but… I really don't want to put her at risk of further injury, alright? She can't come with us."

"You have a few days to think about it, but don't dismiss this outright." Vanora reached up to stroke her husband's hair. "We shouldn't be arguing."

"I never thought we were arguing. That, and we almost never argue, period." He glanced at Vanora. "When was the last time we had a serious argument?"

"Should we count any of my mood swings when I was pregnant with Jules?"

"No."

"Then I can't remember the last time we had a serious argument. If at all. Some small ones here and there, but nothing that involved any level of shouting or stubbornness or refusing to speak to each other."

Moffitt sighed, also trying to think if there ever was a time he got truly angry with Vanora. "I've definitely argued with Anah. Lots of times. I think her hiding Jules's prophecy was the latest one."

"That was less of an argument and more of you just yelling at her for what she did. Granted, you were justified in being angry. She shouldn't have hidden it."

"No, she shouldn't. But that's in the past now. I'm not angry at her anymore." Moffitt paused to think again. Vanora playing with his hair and massaging his scalp was a bit distracting, but it was a good distraction. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "We have a few days. I'll think about it, and I'll try to spend more time with Anah." He started to doze off, and could feel the motions of Vanora's fingers in his hair slowing down as she began to nod off as well.

In the morning, Moffitt was roused by the sound of Anah's voice saying, "Marshmallows are not for breakfast. Put that bag down."

Vanora had moved over to her side of the bed at some point in the night, so Moffitt was able to easily get up, put his robe and slippers on, and go out to see what nonsense was transpiring in his house. He opened his bedroom door to find Anah perched on the kitchen table, and Troy holding a bag of marshmallows.

It was nearly eight in the morning. That was a reasonable time to be up, but Moffitt had only just awoken and hadn't had a drop of tea yet. He folded his arms across his chest, and made an exasperated sound before saying, "Troy, why are you in my house?"

"I thought we were all coming here like we've been doing for the last few days," Troy said.

"Yes, when I call you and say that we're all awake and presentable." Moffitt glanced over at the open door to Jules's bedroom. He looked inside to see Jules was gone. Part of him panicked, but he kept that mostly contained. He hasn't run away again, has he? "Where's my son?"

"Out in the yard with Antheia."

"Ah." Moffitt breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

"I may have agreed to bring her over in the morning because they both said they wanted time together last night."

"And why didn't you tell me?"

"I forgot." Troy went to put a marshmallow in his mouth, only for Anah to poke his hand with her tail and hiss at him.

"What did I just tell you?" she said. "Have a proper breakfast!"

"You stop." Troy stepped back, taking advantage of the fact that Anah couldn't slither nearly as fast as she usually could. "Go on, shoo."

"Don't tell my cobra to 'shoo,'" Moffitt grumbled, taking the kettle to fill it with water. In the corner of his eye, he saw Vanora leaving the bedroom.

"Oh, of course Troy's the one making a ruckus before we're up," Vanora said.

"Who else?"

"I was trying not to bother you two, but she had to complain about what I'm doing." Troy gestured to Anah.

"I was not complaining," Anah said.

"Yes, you were."

"Was not."

"Alright, stop!" Vanora shouted. "No more bickering before we've had our tea and coffee. Troy, put the bag down and get out of the kitchen. Anah, stop provoking him." She turned to Moffitt. "Is Jules still in bed?"

"No, he's out in the yard with Antheia. Troy brought her over because they wanted to see each other," Moffitt replied.

"When was this arranged?"

"Last night, I think."

"And we weren't informed?"

"No."

"Figures." Vanora started preparing coffee. She was quiet until Troy went into the parlor, then went over to Moffitt as he was putting a bag of English breakfast tea into a cup. "I guess we won't be spending any time with Jules today."

"He's with someone who makes him happy," Moffitt said. He noted the poorly-concealed pained look in Vanora's eyes. "If you talk with him, he'll understand—"

"I don't want him to feel like he has to choose."

"That doesn't have to happen."

"Jack, he's like you. He's going to overthink it and make himself miserable."

"That's not—okay, yes, that does sound like me, but Jules isn't exactly the same. He might react differently."

"He also might not."

"You shouldn't be letting yourself be miserable in the process. Say something to him. I'm sure there's a compromise that can be reached."

"We shouldn't have to compromise on such a thing in the first place."

"I know, but this is what we're stuck with for now." When Vanora didn't respond, Moffitt started to wonder if that wasn't the best thing to say. He wasn't sure what the best thing to say was. "Let's see how the rest of the day plays out. I think… I think we should let Jules choose on his own. This prophecy is about him after all. The magpies aren't attacking us because they have a problem with us. They're doing it because they're trying to get to him. He's dealt with enough fear and stress over the last few weeks. Let him have these next three days to spend time with whoever he wishes. He's old enough to be making choices like that, and you and I both agreed that we shouldn't be forcing him to spend time with anyone he doesn't want to for one reason or another. Remember when we left him with your parents for a few days? He wasn't very happy when we picked him up."

"I remember. He wasn't exactly open about it, which had me worried that something happened. My parents aren't nearly as fun or engaging as yours. They were a bit strict with him, which wasn't really necessary. I can understand why he doesn't want to see them again. They live far away and I wanted him to at least… know they exist." Vanora sighed. "Believe me, I've gotten some angry phone calls about the fact that we don't visit often, but I'm not angry with Jules over him wanting to spend time with Antheia over any of us. I won't force him to spend time with us, but I don't want to plant the seed in his mind that he has to choose."

"So, you're not going to say anything to him?"

"No."

Moffitt wasn't sure that was the best course of action, but for now, he would go along with it. "Alright, well, like I said, we'll see how this goes. Maybe Jules will want to spend time with us later." He gently squeezed Vanora when she didn't continue the conversation, and kissed the side of her forehead. "Everything will work out. We'll make sure of it."


When the ravens had said that everyone would be safe for a few days, Jules wasn't sure whether or not to believe them. He had never really interacted with them before beyond a few encounters, but he kept in mind everything Anah taught him about ravens. They were powerful, a creature to be respected. When they said they would do something, they would do it. Jules didn't let that fully sink in until he, his father, and Dietrich returned home and he saw Antheia again. That was when he decided that spending time with her was how he would make the most of this little "vacation" that the ravens were giving him.

The ravens' guardianship would begin at sunrise the morning after they returned to Cambridge, so that was when Jules next wanted to see Antheia. Fortunately, now their only restriction was that they couldn't leave the county, a much larger area than the yard. As much as Jules wanted to go horseback riding with Antheia, the fact that all three horses had just gotten off a six-day trip meant that they needed a period to rest and not be worked hard, if at all. That was alright. For once, Jules felt confident about where the prophecy was headed. He knew where the sword and sharpening stone were, and would be going to the once-lost Island of Blue Adders to retrieve them. After that, he would get some lessons in how to use the sword, then it was off to the magpies' castle in Scotland to deal with them once and for all.

He wouldn't let himself get too confident, though. That was how people got hurt, or worse. For now, he would focus on enjoying time with people he cared about, without fear of the magpies.

Troy brought over Antheia almost exactly at sunrise. Jules, despite having known Troy his whole life, was a little surprised at his timing, but that surprise didn't last for very long once he saw Antheia. He jogged out to the driveway, greeting her with a quick hug before looking at Troy. "Thanks for doing this."

"No problem," Troy replied. "Just have fun and enjoy each other's company."

"We will." Jules gently took Antheia's hand before they headed to the backyard. It was a pleasantly warm and clear morning. The grass was covered in dew, but that didn't stop them from sitting under the hazel tree.

"At least three days is better than nothing," Antheia said. "What should we do in that time?"

"Well, we can't take the horses out, because they need rest. We're safe as long as we stay within Cambridgeshire. There are a lot of lovely parks around here we can walk."

"What sort of movies are out over here?"

"Nothing that I'm particularly interested in seeing. Dad will pick apart war films to the point where it's not fun to watch them anymore. Those he doesn't nitpick are the ones with experiences that match what he went through… a little too closely. It's not nice to see him suffering from his combat fatigue—at least I think that's what he called it."

Antheia was quiet for a moment. "I think my dad has the same thing. I've never seen him react badly to a movie or television show, but occasionally during the hunting seasons, he'll hear people in the woods shooting and he'll… change. It doesn't happen every time, but he'll start acting like his mind is somewhere else. He gets really quiet, and then tells me to go in the house."

"My dad's the same way with certain things, but sometimes he'll have whole days where his mood is really low. There's one day, every single year, at the end of March, when he barely interacts with anyone apart from the horses and maybe Anah." Jules glanced up at the branches of the tree. "Now I know why."

"Why?"

"He had a brother who was killed in an air raid on Cambridge during the war. Just learned that a few days ago."

Antheia became quiet again. "That's awful," she said with a sigh.

"That's also not the whole story." Jules turned toward the house, wondering if he should even be telling Antheia this. Then again, he trusted her to be rational. "He found out right before going on a mission with your dad and Hitch and Tully, and he was so angry that he… killed two Germans in cold blood."

"Just shot them?"

"No. He stabbed one and beat the other over the head with his gun."

"It's really hard to picture your dad doing that. He's so nice, and really smart."

"He also nearly did something he shouldn't have with his snake-whispering ability. He nearly controlled a bunch of cobras and vipers like puppets. I don't know much about what he's capable of, but I know that while it's possible for him to control a snake like that, he refuses to because of how cruel it is. He doesn't look back on what happened fondly, and it's prevented him from really accepting what happened to his brother."

Antheia shifted closer to Jules, remaining silent for a few minutes. "Sounds like your dad's been through a lot."

"He told me during our trip to see the ravens that he's going to have a talk with me about all the mistakes he made so I don't repeat them. Dietrich told him that he needs to be careful not to put himself down in the process. It's sad, really… Dad does put himself down a lot. Even when something is clearly someone else's fault, he'll take the blame, and take it pretty hard. I remember when we were in North Africa last year, after I blew up and snapped that I hated what we were doing. He didn't yell at me. He just… stood there and took it. Didn't say anything until later that night and told me we would head home the next day. By then, I had calmed down, and regretted what I said. I was just having trouble adjusting to being in an environment like that. He thought it was his fault for not better preparing me, and for suggesting it in the first place."

"I was blamed for a lot of stuff at the orphanage." Antheia drew her knees up. "I did do some bad things—I once got in a fight with one of the other girls and managed to ruin her pigtails in a bowl of oatmeal."

"Did you start the fight?"

"Yes and no. She was teasing me for something, and then I had enough. Anyway, I wasn't the only troublemaker there. Even after I started to grow up a little, I'd get blamed for stuff I wasn't even involved with, or accused that I said something I never did." Antheia looked at Jules. "I remember one incident where one of the girls told the lady in charge of us that I said the four-letter F-word. I didn't even know what that was at the time—of course, Dad accidentally taught me later on—but I had no way of proving that I didn't say it, so I was beaten with a yardstick."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. That was one of the things that eventually pushed me to run away. I didn't want to be treated like that anymore."

"Well, as far as I know, Dad wasn't a bad kid growing up. I don't think anyone would really have a reason to blame him for things he didn't do."

"Some people are just mean for no reason."

"Yeah. I should… I should know."

Antheia rested her head on Jules's shoulder. "You really want to help your dad, don't you?"

"I do. I just don't know how, especially since I don't know everything that's wrong. Not even sure he'll tell me."

"I hope you can help. He's done a lot for all of us." Antheia took Jules's hand in hers.

"He has." Jules thought for a moment. "I-If you don't mind, I would like to spend time with him as well during these next three days."

"I don't mind. Your parents and Anah should be more important than me anyway."

"Time with you is equally important."

"Still. They're your parents, and Anah's your… tutor-nanny snake."

"She hates being called a nanny."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Absolutely hates it. I've never asked why. I just know she hates it."

Antheia glanced upward at the sound of a bird singing. Jules looked up as well, noticing the reddish-orange chest plumage of a European robin high above them. He felt Antheia massaging his hand, then she said, "At least we don't have to worry about that being a magpie in disguise."

"No," Jules said. "We can just enjoy the local birds now."

"The birds at the orphanage were the only thing that really made me feel happy. I'm not letting the magpies ruin them for me."

Jules shook his head. "This'll be over soon, and then we can go back to enjoying birds as they are."


Dietrich preferred to have at least one cup of coffee before dealing with Troy in the morning. Unfortunately, the hotel in Cambridge he was staying in only offered tea with breakfast, and as much as Dietrich liked a well-made cup of tea, he needed something a bit stronger, especially when he knew he was going to spending the majority of the day in Troy's company.

He could smell coffee brewing as he approaching the front door of Moffitt's home. That provided some relief, but he could also hear Troy's voice. Of course he is here first. He has probably been here since before sunrise, Dietrich thought.

Moffitt was the one to answer the door. "Hello, Dietrich. Come on in. Make yourself comfortable. There's coffee ready."

"Thank you. I greatly appreciate that." Dietrich hung his jacket up on the coat tree before heading into the kitchen.

"Good morning," Troy said.

Dietrich gave a quiet sigh. "Troy, over the years, I am finding that 'good morning' is more of a pleasantry than a genuine statement."

"It's not exactly a secret that you're not a morning person."

"I have to be for my job, but that does not mean I like it."

"So, you're looking forward to retiring."

Dietrich bit his lip and tried to suppress a snort. "You know what happens when someone says the R-word—"

Troy gave him a look. "Don't—"

"When do you plan on retiring, Troy?"

"Never."

Moffitt looked at both of them and rolled his eyes. "Admittedly, this is not nearly as bad as how you two were acting at my father's retirement party, but, still, could we not simultaneously act like grumpy old men and grumpy little children?"

"My apologies, Moffitt," Dietrich said.

Troy muttered something under his breath before returning his focus to the cup of coffee in front of him.

"Did he wake you?" Dietrich asked.

"Yes, but he's somehow been here since the crack of dawn," Moffitt replied.

"Oh." Dietrich grabbed a mug from the cabinet. "I was just thinking on my way in that it was very likely Troy had been here since sunrise."

"And he has."

Dietrich changed the subject while pouring coffee into the mug. "How is Anah?"

"Not much change from yesterday, and I doubt there'll be much change for a few weeks."

"So, I take it you are not taking her with you and Jules when you go to the island?"

Moffitt looked at the floor. "Vanora already talked with me about this last night. Right now, I'm against the idea. I think Anah needs to focus on healing."

"Her mental and emotional healing is just as important as her physical healing."

"That's almost exactly what Vanora said."

"It's not like Anah will have to do much apart from ride your shoulders like she always does," Troy said. "I see no reason she can't go with you."

"Doctor Millington said Anah will have a harder time hanging onto me while she heals. She could fall."

"Bring her in a picnic basket or something like that."

"As much as I want to laugh at that idea, I must admit that Troy is right," Dietrich added. "It is not like Anah will be unable to have physical contact with you, even if she must ride in a basket."

"Could also use Jules's old baby carriage," Troy said.

"We donated his pram a very long time ago," Moffitt replied. "And, no, we're not putting Anah in one."

"I kinda want to see that, though." Troy smirked. "Complete with one of those little baby bonnets and a pacifier."

Dietrich rolled his eyes, unsure if he wanted to put any effort into picturing a cobra wearing a bonnet and a pacifier.

Moffitt didn't look too amused, either. "I have photographs of her riding with Jules if that'll make you happy."

"You know what? Yeah. I do want to see that," Troy said.

When Moffitt brought out a photo album and showed them the pictures, Dietrich couldn't help admitting that the ones of Anah curled up with baby Jules in the carriage were adorable, but ultimately decided to say, "I think a regular basket would be a good idea if Anah cannot hang on properly for a while."

"I'm not sure," Moffitt said, closing the photo album. "We don't know what we'll be dealing with on that island."

"You'll be dealing with lots of adders, which shouldn't be too much of an issue for you," Troy said.

"The adders won't be a problem, but I'm thinking about treacherous terrain and water and the like. I don't want to accidentally lose the basket."

"When have you ever lost anything?"

"I've lost things."

"Yeah, but something as important as Anah?"

Moffitt glanced around nervously. "I once misplaced one of Vanora's birthday presents a few years back, and nearly tore apart the house looking for it."

"Did you find it?" Dietrich asked.

"I did, but it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life. I'd been looking forward to giving her this for months and suddenly it vanished."

"I will agree that is bad, but I will argue that having your toddler swipe your wife's wedding ring is worse."

"Well, that's not your fault."

"I turned my back for five seconds. Five seconds, and Esther's ring was gone." Dietrich sighed. "Guess where it turned up. Buried in the backyard, along with a few other things, for a 'treasure hunt.'"

"That's still not your fault. As far as I know, no one inhabits this island apart from the adders. I don't think we'd have to worry about anyone stealing Anah in a basket, but there are countless other things that could happen."

"An eagle could try taking her again," Troy said.

Moffitt sighed. "Then that settles it—I am not taking her with us."

"What are the odds of that happening again?" Dietrich asked. "They must be very small."

"It could still happen!"

Dietrich glared at Troy. "You just had to say something."

"Apparently, I did," Troy muttered. "I mean, if you keep the basket covered, I see no reason why another eagle would get her."

"The answer is still 'no,'" Moffitt said. "Anah is staying here."

"Moffitt, Dietrich is right—the chances of that happening again are extremely slim," Troy said with a sigh. "You're overthinking this. Take Anah with you."

"No. I refuse to risk her safety."

"She was miserable here without you!"

"So what?! I was miserable when dealing with the illness that delayed my schooling, because I was alone for several hours of every day. My parents and Michael had lives of their own. They couldn't put everything down and spend time with me. The winter a few years ago that I spent in the hospital with pneumonia was miserable because my family wasn't with me all the time. I still had to stay, and Vanora and Jules couldn't be there twenty-four hours a day, just because I was miserable! It's wretched, I know! She needs to just bloody deal with it! I can't be with her all the time!"

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I'm making a difficult decision, Troy! That's what's wrong with me! Anah needs to focus on not reinjuring herself. Taking her with us will only increase the chance of that happening."

"I'll ask again: what the hell is wrong with you? This is nothing like when you were sick during college, or the winter you had pneumonia. You have the option to bring Anah along, and I know you wouldn't let anything happen to her. We even proposed a reasonable solution to make travel easier for her."

Moffitt looked like he wanted to continue arguing, but Dietrich held up his hand. "We are going to end this before it gets out of control, right now. I think there are several things at play that we are unaware of." He focused on Moffitt. "We are going to talk alone. Troy, go find something to keep yourself occupied."

Troy left without saying anything. Dietrich motioned for Moffitt to sit, then sat across from him. "You seemed quite eager to enjoy the next three days when we came back here yesterday. What happened?"

"This has nothing to do with the next three days," Moffitt muttered.

"Really? Because now you are arguing with Troy and being incredibly insensitive to Anah's needs. It is very out-of-character for you, and I intend to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible."

There was silence aside from the gentle breeze from open windows, and the ticking of the grandfather clock in the drawing room. Moffitt sighed and shook his head.

"What is going on? Why are you bent on keeping Anah off this mission?"

"Truthfully, I'm not. I don't know what to do. I don't know what the best choice is. It's not just that." Moffitt gestured to one of the windows looking out into the yard. "Jules is outside with Antheia. Vanora wants to spend time with him, but she also doesn't want to pull him away from his girlfriend. I suggested at least letting him know that she wants to spend time with him, but she doesn't want to make him feel like he has to choose. Now, I don't know what to do. I have no advice for her."

"You feel tired of being indecisive, so now you are digging your heels in with your decision to leave Anah here so you can move on."

"Yes, that makes sense. I can't afford to be indecisive. Not with… Not with Jules's prophecy."

"Perhaps. We will deal with your wife's dilemma at another point. First, I think we should resolve this issue with Anah." Dietrich looked around, not seeing any sign of the cobra. "Where is she?"

"Last I checked, she's out in the parlor."

"And she probably heard every word you said. Considering that this is the second time you have acted insensitively toward her since her injury, I am sure she will not be happy with you."

"She's smart enough to know that this has nothing to do with me not caring about her. I do care. If we had nothing else to worry about, I'd be with her right now."

"I know I said we would deal with Vanora's problem later, but do you now see why she does not want to say anything to Jules?"

"Jules isn't exactly like me."

"Has he ever been faced with this kind of problem before?"

"No."

"Then who is to say how he will or will not react? But, you are the more immediate problem. You clearly do not want to choose between your son and Anah, or Anah's physical wellbeing and her emotional wellbeing."

"No, I don't." Moffitt looked down at the table. "All you've done is uncover that I have a hundred things pulling me in a hundred different directions and I don't want to go in any of them."

"I cannot say I blame you."

"This feels like a lot of stupid things to be upset over."

"Under normal circumstances, yes. Under these particular circumstances, I disagree. Your son has been chosen for a prophecy. You cannot do anything to change it. There is a lot of uncertainty surrounding it. There is a constant danger with the magpies. It has taken its toll on you. It makes sense that little things are more bothersome now."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I am suggesting you relax."

"You realize that's notoriously difficult for me to do."

"Go to the university and play with the snakes. Use that psychic orb device. Anything that normally relaxes you. Drink ten cups of tea if that works."

"Actually… I will go to the university," Moffitt said. "Maybe having an outsider like Millington to listen will help."

"If you think that will work, do it." Dietrich was glad he had managed to steer Moffitt in a good direction, but he had a feeling that there was going to be a lot more to deal with in the next few days alone.