Free The Apprenticeship of Julian St. Albans by Amy Crook Page B

sip at
the cup of tea that had appeared there while they were talking. “I don’t
think that will ever happen.”
    “Perhaps not,” said Julian, sending the plants
one last promise that he’d give them all more room to grow very soon. “But
this case will be over before long, I hope.”
    “We all hope,” said Alex, cradling his
teacup like it held the water of life.
    Julian sat and sipped his own tea, enjoying the
small rush of sugar and caffeine. “How are things in your work room, have
you killed your ingredients yet?” asked Julian teasingly.
    Alex hmphed, but refused to dignify that with a
response, which probably meant something was starting to wilt and he hadn’t
wanted to admit it.
    “I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting your
plants,” said Julian sweetly, which seemed to mollify him.
    “I didn’t want to bother you,” said Alex.
“I’m going to need some more things pretty soon, too, for that medicinal
potions kit I was working on for Geoff. Not that the department will buy it
from me until this is all over, but these are all shelf-stable, so I thought I
might as well work on them, but I don’t have enough live plants.”
    They talked about potions and plants and magic
while they ate, the brownies putting in their two cents, which both Julian and
Alex always found fascinating. Magical creatures viewed the world differently
enough that their insights were both surprising to the humans and obvious once
they thought about it. They sipped tea and discussed the various plants used
for insight while Alys did the dishes, Alex lamenting that most of them were
poisonous unless they were in a potion.
    “You’ve got enough magical insight as it
is,” teased Nat, who was up on the counter fixing a squeaky cupboard door.
Slowly their apartment was not only being repaired, but acquiring added touches
of beauty like the new decorative finials on the hinges he was installing, and
the matching knobs for the cabinet doors.  
    “Hmph,” said Alex, but he looked pleased
as punch.
    They finished their tea and gave the cups over to
Alys’ tender care, then shared a nice long shower with the attendant perks. By
the time they were properly dressed and Alex’s plants had been attended to,
Julian felt quite cheered and ready to face another day of whatever the
investigation had for them. Alex even put on proper clothes instead of pyjamas,
in anticipation of their messages requiring them to go out.
    “Me first, or you?” asked Julian,
settling on the couch with both of their phones.
    “Let’s do yours, just for variety,” said
Alex cheerfully.
    Julian shrugged and hit the message playback,
putting it on speaker so Alex could hear, too. Lapointe’s tinny voice informed
Julian that he’d be needed at the agency with Alex after all, if he could
please come along.  
    Alex chuckled. “That’s what I get for
chickening out on mine,” he said.
    Julian kissed him. “At least we’ll be together
in whatever we’re in?” he said, then fiddled with Alex’s phone until the
first message was playing.
    Agent Fischer didn’t sound any better on speaker as
he said, “Mr. Benedict, I’ll need you to come in to discuss your business
with the nursery on August ninth. You needn’t bring your boyfriend, I’m
satisfied with his witness statement at this time.”
    “He didn’t even say please,” said Julian,
sticking his tongue out at the phone. “Jerk.”
    Alex laughed. “He is a jerk, let’s see if
Lapointe’s message has more information.”
    Her voice was tired and apologetic. “I’m sorry
about Fischer, though we really do need you to come back in. They’ve finally
identified the victim as Angel Billings, a young apprentice with the Grower’s
Guild who’s been missing since last week. I think my boss is going to let you
get back to work, but I’m not positive. He wouldn’t let me call the Temple,
though, so your alibi is still considered unverified. Anyway, call me before
you come in, I need better coffee