Salomon readily went into the kitchen to help. He caught three distinct smoky aromas: tomato skins over the flame, steak juices in the cast-iron skillet, and potatoes in the fryer. There was also the rich dairy scent of freshly added butter, along with the sweet fragrance of mushrooms mixed with cream. "Caroline... Oh, you're here! You must have met her already, right?" Cassilius was frantically tending to several pans and did not realize that it was not the blonde woman entering until Salomon came in. The older Arcanist immediately smiled. "Well? She was quite startled when she learned you were coming!"
"She was rather reserved, so Bayonetta and Jeanne took her away to chat. I think they'll finish a bottle of red wine before dinner, so I came to help." Salomon pointed at the blackened tomato on the gas stove. "It's just right now. If you leave it any longer, the juice will dry out."
"Oh!" Cassilius seemed to come to his senses only after Salomon reminded him. He reached directly for the tomato—Salomon could clearly see that he had not cast any fireproofing spell at all. He immediately sucked in a breath from the burn, and the tomato slipped from his hand. Yet just before it hit the floor, it floated back up. Its charred skin was slowly peeled away by an invisible force, revealing bright red flesh beneath. "No wonder Caroline says I only make trouble in the kitchen." The older Arcanist laughed as he shook his hand. "Good thing you came. Oh, that child didn't come, did he?"
Cassilius was referring to Constantine.
The last time Salomon had come here, his Praetorian Guard had also arrived after completing their mission to conduct a routine security sweep, before departing on their anti-gravity motorcycles for another assignment. Although Constantine