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Kellan grinned as he ate.

"If Rinee could cook like that, she'd be ecstatic." He remarked, "Not to mention we'd be too."

Jei laughed. "Yeah, til we got fat..." He said.

Marius chuckled as well, nodding. "I suppose we could send our chef to you for a week or so to teach your Rinee his secrets... We have two other cooks that could take over while he's gone... If it is okay with Barda, of course..."

"Barda," Kellan remarked, "so that was the name." He turned back to see if the chef was still in the room with them. Seeing that he wasn't he returned his gaze to the dining table. He poked absent-mindedly at a mushroom.

"I'm glad you didn't fire Barda," he said.

Marius looked up curiously. "Of course we wouldn't... Even if he wasn't the best chef in the world." He replied, giving the boys a look that said they'd talk more of that after dinner.

Kellan sighed and poked again at his mushrooms before putting on his mask that had fallen away at his Uncle's--only he supposed it was good this time, to mask his impatience.

"Barda's good enough to run a famous restaurant the capital," he replied gaily.

Everyone agreed with Kellan's statement, and dinner went on pretty quietly after that, their aunt and uncle asking simple questions every once in a while.

When dinner and dessert were finished, Marius stood, helping Augusta to her feet as well. Normally fairly slender, the woman was swelled up like a balloon, so heavily pregnant. "Let me get your aunt to our room, then I will meet you boys in your rooms to talk more, alright?"

Jei nodded, bidding his aunt goodnight, giving her a hug as well.

Kellan nodded his head politely towards Aunt Augusta and Uncle Marius. His mind was absent, wondering whether their nieces even knew if the fire had occurred.

Kellan smiled as he watched Jei hug their aunt. He held out a hand forward in gesture, "Let's go then, so we?"

Jei headed out of the dining room, going down the hallway til he hit the first turn, then paused, frowning. "Um, Kell... Which way were our rooms?" He asked, embarrassed.

Kellan laughed, "It's this way."

In front of their suite, Kellan took out the piece of paper from his pocket and unlocked the doors. He sighed at the lost opportunity. Few rooms in the mansion had actual keys because guests and residents were expected to not keep secrets.

He opened the door and with a grin, did a sweeping bow as he motioned for Jei to enter.

Jei laughed, giving his brother a shove as he entered the room. "Ever the one for dramatics, Kellan." He said, grinning.

Kellan mock stumbled into the room, "I am wounded!" He said, clutching where he had been shoved.

He straightened himself then, and sat onto the floor. "When do you think Uncle'll arrive?"

Jeisyn giggled and sat next to his brother, leaning against him. "Dunno... shouldn't be too long though..." He said, looking up at a knock on the door. "Enter."

Marius came in, smiling as he saw the boys together. "Now... What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Kellan grinned and wrapped his arms around Jei briefly, letting go when the knock on the door came.

Kellan raised an eyebrow, "Magic, fires, and firing." He looked at Jei, "Am I missing anything?"

Jei frowned slightly when Kellan let him go. He pulled away slightly.

Marius sighed, looking around, before sitting on the floor with his nephews. "We were out, travelling. Thank the gods... We were supposed to be home that day, though... I assume that since you're asking, you saw the damages..."

Jei nodded. "It's the same as what happened at ours, five years ago..." He said, frowning. "How long ago was it? The stone was still hot, like it'd just happened..."

"Couple months ago, actually... I know, it's strange..." Marius replied.

Kellan frowned, "Fires don't make stuff stay hot that long. Actually, isn't it kind of dangerous it's that hot? Could there be another fire?"

He paused, "It's magic?"

Marius nodded. "We're pretty certain that it was a form of magefire... Instead of producing light when it burns, though, it produces heat, and destroys everything in its path..." He said. "I think the people behind it are working through the slave-trades, planting people who still have powers, or who can use charms. They're targeting the old families- I'm sure you've read about that in your history text?"

Jei frowned, then remembered the story Kellan had made from their history book. "So... Both your family and fathers came from the same line?" He asked, a little surprised. He knew it wasn't uncommon for some interbreeding to occur. He just had never assumed that his parents would be.