There she goes again, saying things with only the barest possible context. It's not that she's wrong --Well no, she is completely about this particular thing. But he can see some truth to the meaning of the thing she's talking about. Sometimes for all that their lives are brief and flickering, the things humans (especially in the company of certain djinni) do with their time and their ambition and their funny little dreams end up mattering to someone else down the line. Spirits such as himself are usually the only ones with the right perspective to see any of it of course - sometimes very close up indeed -, but sure. Why not. Things happen. The past reaches into the present in all kinds of unexpected ways.

It's just the thing is - and this is the part that gets him every time -, none of that is going to change today for either of them. Which is a pretty raw deal if you ask him.

He looks at her from where he stands in the open phrasebook, dark eyes thoughtful. The bird's small claws have left inconsequential scratches on the pages though he thinks she'll forgive him for that too.

"You're becoming very evasive in your old age, Kitty Jones. Do you want to learn a few naughty words from an expert or not?"