The oiled potatoes went into a ceramic baking dish. He sprinkled salt and pepper on them and tossed the dish into the oven part of the stove. He held his hand inside a moment and adjusted the air flow into the oven.

He turned back to the butcher block and sprinkled salt and pepper on the piece of meat. He covered the whole piece. He then poured oil in the skillet. He waited a moment and then gently placed the meat in the skilled. It sizzled and popped in the hot oil.

He pointed at a bottle of wine. "Grace, could you open that please?"

Grace opened the bottle with surgical precision while Daniel turned the meat to brown the sides. She splashed more wine in her glass and put the bottle on the butcher block.

In minutes, the meat was seared all round. Daniel put the meat on the butcher block, and Grace raised her eyebrows. Daniel saw the Look.

"It finishes in the oven. The sear seals the juices in."

“It's amazing watching a man cook."

“My mom taught me."

"Fascinating."

Daniel put the meat in another baking dish and put it in the oven beside the potatoes. Then Daniel tossed the shallots and garlic into the skillet with a little more oil. He stirred it for a minute and then added wine from the bottle. The skillet sizzled and Daniel scraped all the goodness off the skillet. He then watched it boil.

"It needs to reduce by half."

Grace nodded. "That was pretty impressive how you Levitated Jasmine."

“Was it? It seems so easy."

"That's interesting. What's your plan?"

"Plan?"

"I seem to remember giving you coin to go to the city to be tested."

"Ah, yes. I'll return it."

"I don't want it back. I want to make sure you go get tested."

“Yes, well. Jasmine, Amy, and I were planning on doing just that. We already bought horses and supplies."

“And Amber."

"No, I don't think so. She hates me."

“Hmm. Yes, she does. She's a pretty hard-core lesbian. I know the type. You'll never be a friend of hers. But she has to go, too."

"Why?"

"She's part of the circle. Her, Amy and Jasmine."