"I do not mind about staying for a long time," she adds. "I thought I would mention, because this is starting to look like one of those sorts of jobs."

"That's handy," says Miles. "Well, welcome to Barrayar. If you stay for the really long term, and find it convenient, we can also pay you in actual money - Cam here is going to be an official government employee as soon as I call my emperor. Sound good to you?"

"An emperor. Gosh," says Janvia. "General angelic assistance in exchange for arbitrary objects and optional local salary, to be concluded whenever we feel like concluding? That sounds just fine."

"Great," says Miles. "I'll call Gregor."

"So, it's nice to meet you, my name's Cam," Cam says.

"I heard," she says, as Miles disappears off to call his emperor. "It is nice to meet you too. I think your summoner forgot to introduce himself."

"Summoner's name is Miles Vorkosigan. He is a nice summoner. Oh, by the way, in case you'd be alarmed to learn this later: I am one hundred percent off leash and expect to stay that way."

"That seemed to follow from the part where you were summoned by accident," says Janvia. "It would be an awfully convenient accidental summoning that just happened to include all the standard bindings, especially if you are the first daeva this world has ever seen."

"I've been resummoned since then, though."

She shrugs. Her feathers rustle very faintly. "It is possible that after you were accidentally summoned and did not go and do any horrible things at all and taught your very nice accidental summoner how to summon with proper bindings, he summoned you again with a binding on. But I do not think it is quite as likely as the alternative."

"Excellent deductive work. Anyway, basics of this newfound mortal world: it's the late thirtieth century. No aliens, but lots of human space colonization, principally via wormholes. We are on a planet called Barrayar, which is the principal of three planets ruled by the aforementioned emperor, who is also very nice. Lots of exciting technology and culture to occupy our immortal selves."

"Wow," says Janvia. "The thirtieth century. I think I am going to like being your angelic assistant a lot. Do you think they will let me study engineering here? I hope they let me study engineering here."

"I cannot think of any reason for them to stop you. I'm planning to learn to pilot ships through the aforementioned wormholes, myself."

"That sounds like fun!"

"Other useful things to know: the reason I may need my wings and tail off and on routinely is that this planet's culture has a serious issue with - they'd probably say 'deformities' or 'mutations' if you asked but it definitely also applies to wings. Yours too, they're not just being racist against demons. Miles, the emperor Gregor, and some other select people, such as everyone who lives in this house, are all fine to be winged in front of; people elsewhere it's not a good idea. On other planets, if we bounce around, you won't have that specific problem, but nobody will know what you are and nobody will expect you to do magic unless they've been specifically warned. Also worth noting: they have a weapon called a 'stunner' which does what it sounds like and works on daeva."

"I see," she says. "Well, I will not mind if I have to take off my wings to get around without upsetting anyone; they are just about due for a redesign anyway. I like to come up with a new set every ten years or so."

"Ha. I've kept mine for a hundred and fifty and then grew them back just the same when I did have to wire them off to go uncontested in public."

"That is an awfully long time to keep one set of wings! Well, not for most people. But I would get bored," she says.

"Different strokes. Did you design your first set or did you start with them?"

"I started with a set I did not like very much. I did not like anything I started with very much, in fact, except for my hands. But after a few remodels I settled on a face and hair and so on that I am very fond of; it is just the wings that have high turnover, because designing good wings is an interesting challenge."

"Convenient you found it comparatively easy to rearrange yourself. Hey, here's a question I don't actually know the answer to: if you take my wings off, and it's not long enough for them to actually, say, rot, can you put the same ones back on, alive and fully functional?"

"Yes! I might have to make some minor repairs, depending how long you left them off and how they were stored. But certainly I would not have to scrap them and start over - or, in your case, I suppose scrap them and let you start over."

"Cool. Recycling. Speaking of starting over, if you would ever find it convenient I can make wings for you as easy as I can for myself, as long as I have something to go on for the design."

"That sounds handy! I might take you up on that sometime, especially if my wings have to come on and off frequently anyway."