Kieran shook his head at her, with her narrowed eyes and sharp questionwA half-laugh huffed out from his mouth. "Not at all," he replied, tone somewhat mournful, "But if you haven't heard him talking about it, he must not've been in."

While he had not been invited to, and in fact may have put her off already, Kieran went ahead and climbed onto the barstool next to her. The potioneer wasn't Jude, but he was in a mood where he may have to just — talk at someone, whether they wanted him or not.