Chapter 32
Chapter
Thirty-Two
“So what do you think about this tuna fish pie?” Leo held open his mother’s pie cookbook. He glanced at the large phoenix behind him.
Percival tilted his head from side to side, the plume on his head swaying with the movement. Then he shook his head. He sat on the floor in Leo’s bedroom in his phoenix form, legs and talons tucked beneath him. They’d had to push some of the furniture to fit Percival in the room like this.
“Yeah. I agree.” Leo leaned against Percival, sinking into the warm orange and red feathers. “Honestly, tuna fish pie was never one of my favourites.” He wrinkled his nose.
Leo flicked a page. “What about this? Trout and potato pie?” Leo held out the page to Percival.
Percival leaned forward, orange eyes fixed on the page.
“As you can tell, we are in the fish section of the pie cookbook,” Leo said. “But we haven’t made a fish pie together yet. So maybe tomorrow will be a good day for it.”
Percival seemed to consider. Then he shook his head.
“No.” Leo turned the page. “What about a smoked haddock pie? It’s smoked fish. You like smoked things.” He paused. “Or you make fire and smell like smoke sometimes.” Mainly during sex. “Does that translate to you liking the taste of smoked food?” He glanced at Percival.
“Anyway, it has cheese and leek.” Leo smiled. “This one is actually a favourite of mine.”
Percival once again perused the page. After a moment, he gave a nod.
“Excellent! Then we’ll make smoked haddock pie tomorrow.” Leo flicked his gaze over the written recipe and the illustration, all of which had been done by Leo’s mother.
His throat tightened as his fingers traced her familiar scrawl. “You know my mother had a talent for making pies,” Leo said softly. “She had a lot of talents. She was an excellent baker.”
The pages were worn with use. Bits of food flecked, stained, and covered portions of the recipe and drawings. Parts of the recipe had been crossed out and rewritten as his mother had adapted and changed the recipe over the years.
“Her pies were my favourite though,” Leo said. “They are still the best thing I have ever eaten. My pies are not as good as hers.”
Percival’s head shot up, eyes widening in disbelief.
“It’s true.” Leo chuckled. “Hers were just better. But when I make her pies, I feel like she’s still a part of me. I feel like when she died, I took over and became the person who baked pies in the family bakery.”
Leo ran his hands back and forth over the pages. “She died when I was still pretty little. Her and my dad died on the same day. It was all very sudden. An accident. Grady was with them.”
Leo lifted his wrist, showing a band wrapped around it. “Now Grady makes us wear these charmed protection bands.” He dropped his arm as he looked back at the recipe book. “I feel closer to her when I bake her recipes.”
Percival’s head pressed against Leo’s face. Leo stroked Percival’s neck.
“After Mum and Dad died, life was never the same. Everything was grief, chaos, and stress.” Leo paused. “Jas and I had always been close, what with being twins and all. But during that time, we clung to each other.”
Leo stared at the cookbook in his hand. “And now Jas is so distant. He’s hiding something from me. I know it. But he won’t tell me what’s wrong. And I don’t know how to help him. I miss him.”
Percival shuffled. Then large wings stretched out to the sides.
Leo blinked, staring up at them. Then the iridescent orange and red wings folded in, enveloping him, cocooning them from the world. Throat tight, Leo wrapped his arms around Percival’s torso, burying his face in Percival’s feathery chest.
“I’m so glad I have you, Percy.”
Percival trilled. Leo smiled.
They sat that way for a while longer. Leo holding Percival and Percival’s wings enclosing them.
Leo looked up into Percival’s face. He hesitated. “I love you, Percy.”
The orange eyes widened.
“Maybe it’s too soon to say that. I know we’ve only known each other a short time, but every moment I’m with you, my feelings only grow stronger. I adore you. My phoenix. My firebird. I love you with all my heart.”
Percival’s wings withdrew from around them. He stood and moved away from Leo. He let out a breath, and golden fire burst and consumed him. The fire never got out of control, even inside. Percival controlled it so it didn’t even singe anything.
Then Percival began to shrink. His feathers retracted. Dark-red hair grew from his head. Percival stood naked and human before him.
Then he ran at Leo, falling onto the floor beside him and throwing his arms around Leo’s neck. “I love you too, Leo. So much!”
Leo let out a breath and hugged Percival tight.
“But I can’t believe you told me you loved me when I was in my phoenix form and couldn’t say it back!” Percival laughed.
“I’m sorry.” Leo grinned. “I just couldn’t hold the words in. I had to tell you what I felt.” Then he pulled back and kissed Percival, pouring all the love he felt into the kiss.
He wanted to stay just like this, kissing the phoenix he loved forever.
There was a knock at the door.
“Who the fuck is that?” Leo muttered.
They untangled. Percival grabbed a blanket to cover himself.
“Come in,” Leo called out.
The door opened. Jack’s eyes widened when he realised Percival was practically naked. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“It’s okay,” Percival said, although his cheeks flushed.
“I’ll be quick and leave you to it,” Jack said.
Thank goodness.
“I know it’s been quite a few days since you brought us that drawing of that sigil you found in that alley where Percy…” Jack trailed off, as if not wanting to remind Percival that he had died.
“Anyway, Avery has been sending letters to different sorcerers and mages, asking for assistance. Yesterday, he received a letter from the sorcerer’s guild. They recommended two sorcerers who came by our apartment early this morning.”
Percival tensed.
“What did they say?” Leo asked.
“They said they will take on your case. So expect two sorcerers to come by and ask you questions in the next day or two. They seemed knowledgeable and eager to help.” Jack gave a half-smile.
“Avery also said they will get a bonus if they discover how you died quickly. It is a generous bonus, so I imagine they’ll move fast.”
“Thanks, Jack. To you and Avery,” Percival said.
“We’re happy to help. Anyway, I just closed up downstairs, and now I need to go work at the Christmas markets. Have a good evening.” Jack lifted his hand and headed out.
“You too.” Leo turned to Percival.
Percival sat very still, orange eyes blinking at the closed door.
“You all right, Percy?” Leo stroked his shoulder.
“Yeah.” Percival nodded. “Just… Since we hadn’t heard anything from Avery, I kind of assumed he hadn’t found anyone to help.” He licked his lips. “I kind of thought it was all over.”
“What was all over?”
Percival shrugged. “Well, since no one else has tried to hurt or harm me, I assumed it must have been a random attack, or a freak accident, or some strange illness that struck me dead. So I just focused on moving on with my new life with you.” He took Leo’s hand.
“I mean, it probably still is a random attack or accident or something. But…”
“But?”
“But what if it isn’t? What if the sorcerers find something?” Percival shook his head. “I know I’m being ridiculous. Them searching isn’t going to change the facts of what happened. But what if they discover someone did want to kill me and it wasn’t random?”
Leo’s chest tightened. “If someone did try and hurt you, then this is the next step to finding them and putting a stop to them completely. I want you safe, Percival. I know you can be reborn. But I don’t like the idea of others being out there who might hurt you.
I love you too much to let that happen.”
“Leo.” Percival surged forward and kissed him. “Now show you love me and fuck me. I want to feel you inside me.”