The morning after the Maelkith dinner, Jin's phone buzzed during breakfast, and he read the message twice before he put it down.
"My parents are back," he said. "A day early."
"Because of me?"
"Because of me calling my father about you at eleven at night." He pushed his plate away. "He wants a briefing. Now. And my mother wants to meet the person who"—he checked the screen—"'rewrote necromantic theory during his school holidays.'"
"Should I be nervous?"
He considered it with real seriousness, which was worse than a joke. "Not nervous. Ready. They don't come home early for small things."
