“Hey, buddy.” He snatched my offering up gleefully then bumped his head against my hand. “Wanna listen for a bit?”
So, there I sat in the dark, just talking to my other familiar until I was tired enough to nod off.
Chapter Five
I felt a hand on my shoulder and woke with a start. I looked up to find Maebe sitting on the bed with Coal at her feet, wagging his tail.
“Hey,” I greeted her groggily. I must have passed out.
“Hello.” Her simple greeting felt flat.
“I take it you’re ready to have that talk?”
“No, it’s less a talk and more telling you what has come to pass in my time away and hoping you will understand.” She looked at me. Her deep green eyes were troubled. “Will you listen?”
“Of course.” I tried to smile at her comfortingly, but I was uncertain.
She took a steadying breath, then began her tale.
“When I arrived, the palace was in upheaval over a concerning decree by the new Seelie ruler—his name is Kaligor. Don’t worry—his power is nubile still, and he will not know we are using his name here until he is a little stronger or we say it multiple times. His decree was that he would be routing out the spies near his lands and setting the Wild Hunt free to truly dispose of those who displease him.
“We had to bolster our defenses and offer shelter to those in our lands who might need it, easily managed and taken care of, but the people were frightened. After they were taken care of, my mother wanted to speak with me. She had reservations about my dalliances in the Prime realm, but she respects that as queen, I choose to do what I will.”
“So, then she has to be okay with it,” I offered.
“Yes, but some of the things she stated made me wonder—why am I doing this?” She looked at me, her cheeks lightening a little. “And it was for the reason that I slipped earlier. It’s because I don’t know how I feel about you. I’ve had trysts. I’ve had lovers. But they never treated me the way you do—not by choice and never without an ulterior motive.”
I offered her my hand, and she took it in both of hers before continuing, “I’ve never felt this way before, and my mother knew this. She thought it would make me weak. Unsure. If anything, I was more ruthless in my dealings with the Seelie than before just so I could hurry back to you.”
Another steadying breath. “I sent you a shadow so that I could just see you, and then I heard everything you said, how you felt. And I was hurt when she kissed you. Angry. Not because she had dared and not at you but because it didn’t seem like she was respecting your wishes.”
“I can see that being frustrating.” I squeezed her hand comfortingly.
“And that made me so angry, and that’s when I began to question these feelings.” I could see a ghost of the rage pass over her face fleetingly. She sighed and spoke again, “Where they came from, I don’t know. I’m not sure what they are or what they mean.”
“Do you want to explore them?” I proposed. “I’m willing to explore these feelings if you are.”
Her face turned toward me, haloed in the light of the moon and stars; her eyes were larger than normal, and they looked to be on the edge of tears.
“Do you think this could be budding love?” Her voice was soft as she watched me for some kind of sign, as if I might run.
“It could be, and I’m honored.” I pulled her closer to me gently. “We can explore this, and I will help you through it. But like I said—if you want out, all you have to do is say so. This includes for your people’s sake too.”
“Alright,” she took another breath and looked toward the door, “and what of Vrawn?”
“I don’t hate her,” I said carefully. “She’s sweet, thoughtful, loyal, and friendly. I think if you wanted to—the two of you could be friends. She seems to have quite the rampant stubborn streak to her, though.”
“Beautiful too,” Maebe added after that.
“She is,” I agreed, “and I’m attracted to her. I’d have to be stupid not to be. But she’s not you, and unless you want to be with her yourself, I’m good just being her friend. I don’t want to hurt her feelings. She’s a good person, but if I have to draw the line, I will.”
“That is not needed. She will be a fine addition to my guard here.”
I looked at Maebe oddly. “Your guard?”
“I have claimed this village under my protection, and the Seelie King has issued an assault on those I hold dear. I will protect this place.” She looked at me then. “And I cannot always be here to comfort you. If I had to choose someone, I’d say she would be a reasonable stand-in.”
“I don’t get a say in this, do I?” I grumped. “I’m not one for a harem, Mae. I doubt that I can keep you happy all the time, though I want to try. Multiple women? I don’t know.”
“You can deny her, but I will think you stupid for it,” she teased. “But yes, you do have a choice. I am not so taken that I will begrudge you having someone I think is infatuated with you enough that you could trust them to care for you in my absence. I have no other lovers, and I am too new to what I feel for you to want to attempt anything more with anyone else. But it doesn’t need to be a harem. You are not royalty. There is no need. I simply suggest having her be here for now. Who knows what more could happen.”
I frowned. That was something I hadn’t grown up hearing from anyone. Sure, there were many differing views on love, and I had been fortunate enough to see many and read about many others. But it was entirely different being there yourself.
“Let’s just give this whole thing a shot, and we can work on it as we go, okay?” I kissed her forehead. “We just need to be sure that we talk to each other and that everything is open.”
“I can do that. Come, let me show you how much I have missed you… my love.” Maebe pressed herself against me and ran her hands over my back.
* * *
I woke up later in the morning than I would normally have liked, but Maebe surprisingly hadn’t wanted to watch me sleep and laid with me so that she meditated as I slept. Normally, I would wake to her watching over me in a chair. This time, I had gone to sleep with her in the bed, and I woke up to find her still there.
“Good morning,” she whispered against my shoulder. I flinched. It was difficult to tell when she was meditating and when she was alert.
“Hello, dear.” I kissed her forehead, and she rolled to the side of the bed, flashing her bare hip and the swell of her leg.
Oh boy. I sighed. Be a damned adult, man.
I got up and cleaned myself with some of the water in the basin on the desk when I felt a cold chill against my body. I looked down to see shadows creeping up my body, clinging to every bit of my fur. I looked over and saw that the same was happening to Maebe, but she looked unconcerned.
“I take it that this is your doing?” I asked, fighting to keep the panic out of my voice.
“It is.” She eyed me, then her teeth flashed in the morning light. “It is to cleanse you. No need to worry.”
The shadows warmed significantly as they rose over me and passed over my head. Once the sensation was through, I felt cleaner for certain.
“Thank you.” I smiled at her. “Think you could teach me how to do that?”
“What level are you now?” she asked. “I see—you are level 29. You should be able to do this simple of a thing. Have you received any other spells as you have leveled up?”
I shook my head. I was a little worried, actually. Sure, I was stronger thanks to my new subclass as a Primal Warrior, but my spell list hadn’t grown at all.
“Then you are past the point where you can learn things without having seen someone who is stronger than you.” Maebe frowned. “Is your trainer a higher level than you are?”
“She was, and what do you mean?”
“From what I understand, with many classes in the Prime realm—it takes someone showing you or taking you into their care for you to learn more naturally. Even if it is them teaching you a sing
le skill, or spell, that gives the system a path to give you for growth. Up to level twenty or so, your path was clear. You had all of the spells available to you up until you reached that level. Now, there is not a set path for you, and you need someone to show you how you can grow—or make your own path.”
“That’s… possible?” I glanced at her, and she smiled. “How?”
“Well, I can only speak to my experiences. For example, my mother taught me all that I know of ice magic, but she was decidedly lacking in shadow magics. So, what she couldn’t teach me, I had to spend time learning and mastering it myself. There were the basics that she could show me, of course, but after getting to where her skills had peaked, I delved further into the darkness. Made it my own.”
She held her hand out, and the shadows in the room deepened visibly and slithered to her touch like a pet.
“My degree of control is somewhat influenced by my very nature as well as what I am. I am a Celestial Fae—she who walks between the shadows of the stars. The Netherling. The perfect shadow. What I call from the void is mine to command by birthright and by mastery.” The shadow shot toward me like a viper but pulled up short. “You, on the other hand—though you are now Celestial like me—have a more natural affinity to nature and her elements. Gifted by fire, loved by earth, and the other elements treat you better than any other Mage on the face of this planet and many of the other planes of existence. I could teach you simple shadow spells—but you would be better suited toward strengthening those other abilities.”
I sat on the bed, my pants pulled up to mid-thigh, and just stopped to think. If this was the case, then I should try to find Dinnia and Sharo to see if I could get some more help. Or go on with my love affair with the Primordial Elementals and try to gather strength there? Fuck. I mean, I could spend the time going through my spell list with my Elemental Tinkering to add an aspect of flame to each of them. It could be useful, but it was imperfect. Sure, it could create amazing abilities, and it had before—but there was a lot to be desired.
The increased mana cost being one thing, and then there was something about mixing spells with one element that just seemed so weird to me. Like, they may not mix well.
On hope, I used Mental Message to call out for Dinnia, “Dinnia! If you’re there, please respond. I need your help to grow as a Druid.”
“You don’t have to shout, Zeke. I’m behind you,” came a muffled voice from outside my window. “Rude.”
I cast Nature’s Voice and called out to both her and Sharo, “I’ll be out in a second. I have someone special to introduce you to!”
Maebe was smiling sweetly at me, already wearing a loosely-fitting, tan sundress that did nothing to hide her figure beneath and was waiting by the door. I finished dressing in a green shirt, brown pants, and my normal boots. I wasn’t expecting a fight today, but if anything happened, I had spells I could use in a pinch. Or just mercilessly beat the crap out of anyone who tried me.
Maebe and I walked out to the tavern’s dining area and found Sharo waiting with his tail twitching by a table that Dinnia sat at.
Sharo, her sleek, muscled black panther companion, munched on a plate of meat and eyed me lazily with emerald green eyes.
“Hello, Sharo.” The great cat knocked back a thickly cut slice of ham and winked at me in greeting.
Dinnia, the Druid who had trained me, a lithely built Elven woman with an athletic build, stared at me with brown eyes that seemed to glow a little in the dull light of the room. Her once short, brown hair had grown a little longer since I had last seen her, touching the nape of her neck slightly.
“Dinnia.” I pointed at the Elven woman, her bare feet tapping under the table. Then I motioned to the woman on my left. “Maebe. My… lover.”
“The title I believe is ‘girlfriend,’” Maebe corrected teasingly, “but there is much that he says that does not make sense. I believe you trained him in Druid craft?”
The Druid stood and so did Sharo. Both bowed before she spoke, “Welcome, Maebe, Queen of the Shadows and Cold.”
“Be well, child.” Maebe nodded at her once. “There is no need for such formality. We meet here as mutual acquaintances, not emissaries.”
“Leave it to the cub you reared to find such a dangerous mate,” Sharo commented dryly as he poked at Dinnia.
I laughed, and Dinnia pulled his tail rather hard. He growled at her and flicked his tail away out of reach before turning to find Maebe kneeling in front of him.
“You’re a beautiful creature,” she observed as she continued to look him over.
Sharo, visibly shaken, whipped his eyes toward me. “Cub… does she bite?”
“Keep calling me cub and she may,” I teased back. Dinnia and I both laughed as he retreated a couple paces from her.
“What did you say to scare him?” Maebe asked me sullenly.
“He asked if you bite—I said if he kept calling me ‘cub,’ that you might.”
Her lip quirked up for a second before she shook her head. “That’s not true, Sharo?” Sharo ducked his head once. “I would not bite you. I will not hurt you. I like cats. And you remind me of a snow leopard I knew in the mountains near my castle. I did so love her.”
“What excellent taste your mate has, cub.” Sharo lifted his chin before he stood and padded toward Maebe to rub against her affectionately.
“So, you need to learn more about our class, then?” Dinnia asked over Sharo’s obnoxious purring.
“Yes, but why were you so close?” I asked as I joined her at the table.
“Well, I do live here,” She snorted at the question, “but the Mother told us that you might come seeking advancement. The way I see it now, you’re a peer as much as a student. There is little more I can teach you now.”
She looked at her companion in thought, then at Maebe.
“He was right, you know—it would be me who has a student bring forth such a powerful entity as a… girlfriend.” She smiled sardonically. “You’re already the swiftest shapeshifter I know. I would venture that your animal forms are diverse, but you may not have as many as I do. The best I could probably do for you is to teach you a spell I learned before my master passed from this world.”
She held out a hand and touched my shoulder, and suddenly, through the agony that reared up in my mind, I knew where every living thing around me was as if they were a blip on a radar I didn’t know I had.
NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED!
Life Sense – The caster can sense anything living near them within a certain radius. Cost: 35 MP. Range: 30-foot radius. Duration: 1 minute. Cool Down: 30 seconds.
“What would you use that for?” I looked over the spell description again.
“It is a utility spell. It helps me know who—or what—is around me. If you actually use it and aren’t experiencing it through someone as you are now, friends will appear green, neutral entities gray, and enemies or hostile people in red.”
“That’s incredible. Where do you use that?” I saw her blink at me and look around.
“Everywhere.” Dinnia motioned to Maebe. “That’s how I knew she wasn’t going to attack me. She was gray.”
I nodded. “That’s fair. So, nothing else then? Is it difficult to learn more spells?”
“You have plenty of them—what do you think?” She eyed me sagely. “If you had learned them on your own, do you think you could have? What if you had the knowledge you hold now? Could you then?”
Thinking on it, I wasn’t sure. Sure, some of them were complicated formulae overlaid with mana usage and coupled with motions, intent, and force of will. If I thought hard enough, with a little more thought—and no small amount of luck—I might be able to replicate some of them in different ways.
“You’ve given me a lot to think about, Dinnia.” I reached over and pulled her into a half hug. “Thank you for being here for me.”
“Of course. It’s my purpose, given to me by the Mother. If I learn anything else, I’ll send some friends to find you.�
� Dinnia smiled, then looked at her companion in shock. “Sharo!”
The big cat was laying on his back, batting playfully at Maebe who hovered above him with a length of rope with a knot at the end.
“Wha–what?!” He looked up and realized we were watching and sat up. He tried to look dignified but failed. “What do you want?”
“You wait until I tell Kyra and Thayron that you were playing like a kitten. They will never let you live it down.” She laughed as he ducked his head. “We need to go now, Sharo—you big kitten. Tell your new friend goodbye.”
Sharo grimaced at his Elven partner before he stood on his hind legs in front of Maebe, using her shoulders to support his massive bulk before gently running his teeth across her cheeks. The entire time, he rumbled like a lawnmower.
“Maebe, we can go take our walk and get breakfast if you like?” I offered, but she shook her head.
“You need to ensure that you get your lesson from Vilmas. On my way to your room, she sent Vrawn to let me know that she would be doing the initial enchanting this morning. She wanted you to observe.” Maebe took my hand and motioned for me to go. “I am interested to see how this will work and to meet another of your friends.”
I shrugged, happy that she was taking an interest in what I did. I took her to the chef’s old room and knocked. Vrawn opened the door wide; she offered me a mug, then Maebe.
“Zeke.” She smiled at me radiantly, then turned her gaze on Maebe. “My lady.”
“Good morning, Vrawn.” I blushed a little, partly because I knew what they had talked about last night but mainly because I had been an ass. “Hey, I’m really sorry about my outburst last night.”
“It’s fine.” She waved the apology away. “Queen Maebe and I had a very heartfelt discussion last night, and what was said on your part was true, more so than either of us knew. I know how she feels now. She knows how I feel. Your feelings weren’t taken into consideration, and for that, I truly am sorry. She has told me what she wishes—I am okay with that.”
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