He shrugged slightly. “It felt like the right thing to do.”
Rachael felt deflated. Nothing special, no, of course … just the atmosphere of the evening. Not that it was any kind of full explanation –
“Did you not like it?” he interrupted her thoughts.
“What? Of course,” she exclaimed, then clamped a hand [...]

“Lady Rachael! We were just speaking of you,” he replied, transparently relieved at her appearance. Gallantly, he took her hand and in a fluid, natural movement kissed it.
Alis’ eyes glittered, but her cherubic smile never wavered. “Indeed.”
Rachael thought she would soon get very tired of hearing Alis’ soprano voice say that word. [...]

The little ship’s takeoff forced silence for a brief while. Rachael’s thoughts whirled madly in her brain. How in the hell could Butterfly know she was a witch? The subject of special powers had never even come up! But … magic, here? Now? Part of the requirements?
Rachael was aware [...]

Frayed nerves finally drove Rachael to pace outside, where there was more space. Everything was all wrong here; even the smell of the air was different. Cleaner, she supposed, devoid of the fumes of her time. She had no idea what powered everything, or how the air was generated (they were on [...]

A soft chime heralded the appearance of Alastriona, who bore a tray with a glass and a small bottle on it. “The computer suggested you might need this,” she said, positioning the tray on a nearby table and opening the bottle.
“What is it?” Rachael asked doubtfully, eyeing the transparent blue glass bottle.
“Hangover remedy, lady.” [...]