by Bill Ricardi
Moria folded her little arms over her robed chest. “You needed a hint. And Tatertown. Oh my, poor Tatertown.”
I did my best pouty orc face, which made the wererat giggle almost musically.
“Fine.”
I raised my brows, “Oh yeah?”
The girl nodded with conviction. She hopped up out of her chair and sat on the floor of the Apprentice Library. “Are you ready?”
I nodded eagerly.
The shapeshifting was far more rapid than I expected. The wererat suddenly melted in place. It took only a couple of seconds, seconds filled with the sound of crackling bone and rushing blood. For a moment I thought that something had gone horribly wrong. I was expecting to see a young human girl sitting before me.
Instead, Moria had decided to show me her feral form. A giant rat, easily a pace and a half long, sat on the floor of the library. She stared up at me, surrounded by a pool of her own clothes and pouches.
I had to laugh. “That was silly.” I told her.
There was some indignant chittering.
I explained, “When you transform back, you’re going to be naked, Moria.”
The giant rat froze. She hadn’t thought of that.
I said, “You get a dozen points for surprising me, but minus several dozen for not planning ahead.”
Moria chittered and huffed. She turned around three times, then laid in a nest of her own clothes. Soon there was a gentle snoring sound.
I peered down at the giant rat. “Moria?”
She wasn’t faking. The rodent had decided to take a nap rather than listen to my gloating.
I sighed a little bit, then went over to the closet and grabbed one of the big blankets. I gently covered my little friend. When she was woken by the arrival of the rest of the study group, she would be able to transform in complete modesty and get dressed once again.
I opened my least favorite book, ‘Mageography: Magical Resources and Where to Find Them’, and started to study the chapter on alchemic components. By the time the rest of the study group arrived, I had covered exactly three pages of the dense text. It looked like Titan and Parsnip weren’t going to show up for the early session.
This was the perfect excuse to put my book down in favor of offering a helping hand. Green immediately took me up on the offer. The dirty blond haired human was having issues with reliably casting and getting the right results from his Read Magic spell.
As Green was digging around in his pouches for a jeweler’s loop, I heard a rustling behind us. Moments later, Moria emerged from her blanket cocoon in hybrid wererat form, fully clothed. She smiled at me and mouthed a ‘thank you’. I replied with an easy wink and mouthed back ‘you’re welcome’.
As Celestial and Moria cracked open a book together, I took Green’s glass loop and examined it. “Here’s your problem son. Or one of them. This thing is filthy. It doesn’t look scratched but it smells like onions.”
Green said, “Oh, that’s where I keep it Sor- um, Granite. In the pouch with my herbs, so it doesn’t get scratched!”
I took out a small swatch of high thread-count cloth. “Not any more. You keep it folded in this from now on. And you keep it clean.” I peered at the young man and then snatched his glasses from the bridge of his nose. “And you keep these clean too. No wonder you can’t Read Magic, I’m surprised you can read anything.” I wiped down the lad’s glasses, and then his jeweler’s loop.
The human daintily placed the glasses back on his face. “Well that can’t be the problem sir, I mean… wow!” He peered around, wide eyed. It was like the young human was seeing the world for the first time.
I rolled my eyes and gifted the swatch of cloth to him. “I have plenty, but replace this once a year from the student store. Any time you work with optics, you make sure they’re clean. Now, does anyone have a magical inscription that we can practice on?”
Celestial called over, “Granite.” He slid a small leather pouch across the table.
I opened the pouch. Inside was a steel compass. The craftsmanship was excellent, but otherwise it looked normal. On the flat back side, mystical runes had been engraved.
I said, “It’s beautiful.”
The Professor’s Assistant in training smiled. He said, “Thank you.”
I laid the magical item on the table before my student for the night. “Okay, let’s see your technique.”
It took a little over an hour, but I managed to isolate the issues with Green’s mis-casting of Read Magic. Firstly he was holding the loop too tightly, causing his hand to shake during the somatic gesturing. Secondly, he was looking at the jeweler’s loop rather than through it. Once he relaxed a little bit and learned to focus through the material component rather than on it, we had a successful casting.
The dirty blond human’s face had lit up like a freshly struck torch. I chuckled and asked, “What does the inscription say?”
Green said, “Hold in hand and invoke with the words ‘Direct Me.’ Keep in mind the city or landmark you wish to reach. A phantom compass hand will point in that direction until you arrive.”
I was suitably impressed. I carefully repackaged the arcane compass and slid it back to Celestial. “That’s a neat toy.” I said.
The dark skinned human tucked the magic item back into his pocket. “Saved my life once.”
Green and I went over the fine details of what made the casting a success. My final advice was to practice every day, and to make being relaxed second nature. He thanked me heartily, and then opened up his spellbook to make additional notes.
As we were winding down, Parsnip and Titan arrived. They said nothing, not even a greeting. The halfling looked disappointed for some reason. The half elf, clearly upset.
By the time I had freed myself up from working with Green, other refugees had started to arrive for the nightly bed down. One of the kitchen staff brought a huge tin of cornbread, as was tradition. A couple of students arrived with full waterskins that were used to refill the glass pitchers stored in the supply closet. The study group packed up their things and started to help arrange bedding for the night.
I hadn’t planned on staying overnight. Private Sanctum was in my head and ready to deploy when I got back to my room, if necessary. But upon seeing the state that Parsnip was in, I made sure that the two of us were the last ones to bed down. After handing out pillows to the last couple of library-boarders, I created a nice, fluffy double nest of bedding against the far wall.
I stripped down to my bedclothes, and watched as my half elf friend mechanically did the same. When she was laying down, I surprised her by casting Private Sanctum, enveloping the two of us in darkness, and creating a sound barrier between us and the rest of the room.
It was like a dam had broken inside of her. The half elf clung to me in the darkness, her body wracked with powerful sobs. I wrapped my arms around Parsnip’s back as her tears soaked the shoulder of my undershirt. The sounds that my friend made, a chorus of almost animal wailing, broke my heart. It was a few minutes before Parsnip could catch her breath at all.
We didn’t say a word to each other that night. I was simply there for my friend, as she spent a half hour venting her grief and frustration within the zone of safety and privacy. My shirt was soaked, and my arms were bruised from being gripped so tightly. Eventually, Parsnip cried herself to sleep in my embrace.
I reached down and pulled the blanket up fully, covering the half elf from toes to shoulders. I already knew that in the morning I would ask her if she wanted to talk about it, and she would say ‘no’. But tonight she would be warm, and safe, and comfortable if I had anything to say about it.
Chapter 10
I was making some notes after a full day of study. Most of the students were out and about, as this was some kind of elven holiday. The Arcane University was hosting various plays and shows and what have you. I just wasn’t in the mood for any of that. Instead I dutifully copied down runes that I would need in order to form elemental summoning circl
es.
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy a good theatrical production or musical group. On the contrary; I had come to like human and elven art more and more as time passed. I suppose that I was just a little bit down. Nothing to go on about, just a normal ebb in enthusiasm that life sometimes hands out. I didn’t see wanting to be alone as either a strength or a weakness, despite my friends over-analyzing my various moods. It was what it was.
There was a knock on the door, the third within the last hour. I called over, “Parsnip or Leeson or whoever, the door’s open but I’m not going out.”
Instead a golden robed young apprentice from the Transport Guild opened the door a little bit and peered through. “Mister Stonebender, sir? You were to be informed of an arrival, teleporting in within the next fifteen minutes. One ‘Ames’ of Ice House.”
I was out the door before my quill fluttered to a rest upon my desktop.
I barely stopped at the checkpoint, squeezing through as soon as the gate had opened a fraction. The passage leading from the South Wing to the reception hall was bustling. There were plenty of people to dodge during my spirited run. Emerging into the reception area was like walking into a holiday wonderland. Merchants, performers, students, and vendors were all milling about and having a good time. Much of the foot traffic was filtering into the East Wing, which had been temporarily opened up to the general population in order to host the thousands that had come to celebrate. I weaved around a group of students in sylvan masks, laughing as they festooned each other with garlands. I skidded to a brief halt as a band of were-wolf jugglers danced acrobatically by, much to the delight of the onlookers.
I was out of breath by the time I made it to the center of reception. There was a four member singing troupe near the teleportation point: Two young minotaurs on cello and lute, and two elves doing vocal harmonies. I listened to them while I waited, anticipatory energy seeming to crackle through my every nerve.
It was just another friday
In another farming town
Then I saw you coming my way
In a cloud of thistledown
Kissed you once out on the breezeway
In your mother’s wedding gown
I know your parents might naysay
But I’m back to steal your crown
In fields of green, and in fields golden
We make our bond, we grow strong
To your true love, I am beholden
We make our bond, we grow strong
I know I can’t be the rich kid
I can’t give you bags of gold
Your dad says that I’m the low bid
Maybe I’m just undersold
Your sister says that I’m lurid
I’ll corrupt you twentyfold
I just know that I am bless’ed
Because I have you to hold
In fields of green, and in fields golden
(I’ll see you again, my love)
We make our bond, we grow strong
(In just a short time, my love)
To your true love, I am beholden
(I’ll see you again, my love)
We make our bond, we grow strong
(In just a short time, my love)
Just as the two singers had finished weaving the harmony of the refrain, Ames appeared on the teleportation platform. The feline barely made it to the steps. I swept the were-cat off of their feet, and ignoring the boisterous cheers and catcalls from the crowd, I kissed my lover passionately. Even through the loud and amused reactions from onlookers, the troupe had the presence of mind to play on.
In fields of green, and in fields golden
(I’ll see you again, my love)
We make our bond, we grow strong
(In just a short time, my love)
To your true love, I am beholden
(I’ll see you again, my love)
We make our bond, we grow strong
(In just a short time, my love)
I tossed the were-cat over my shoulder, despite Ames’ amused half-protests, and headed back towards the South Wing. Along the way I got several pats on the back and shouts supporting my bold, romantic gesture.
After the crowd thinned out and we were back in the gaslit hallway, I said, “Ames dear?”
The feline responded, “Yes?”
“I’m going to put you down now. I think I may have thrown out my back.”
The amount that Ames laughed at me was probably appropriate. The feline slipped a shoulder under my armpit and supported me as we headed back to my quarters.
Room 214 never looked so inviting. I allowed my companion to drop their things beside my desk before dragging the feline into bed with me.
“What about your back?”
“It’ll mend.”
We cuddled and caught up. Ames reviewed the status of The Spastic Vole. Surprisingly, things were better than ever. Hierophant Petrinoth and the Order of Del-Nekbenth had taken a keen interest in the kind of cuisine that the restaurant was serving. The druidic order bought 20 percent of the Vole, and were using it as an example of what could be done with local, sustainable produce. They provided some money, some management help, and even a discount on the fruits and vegetables from their greenhouses. As Will, Rick, and Toby held a 30 percent share of The Spastic Vole, my kitten was now only half owner. But that was alright. Ames was happy with 50 percent of a business that wasn’t running so close to the edge all the time.
Ames admitted, “I think a certain percentage of the clergy wanted discounts for our… other services.”
I laughed. “Lushes and satyrs .”
My kitty nodded. “Many of them, yes. And what’s been happening with you?”
I went over what I had been learning, as well as my recent adventures with sleep deprivation. Ames had a good laugh at my description of Leeson and Jess’ antics. I went over the activities of our late night study group, ending the tale with my successful learning of the Private Sanctum spell.
Ames had a toothy little grin on their muzzle. “So you’re sweet on this Parsnip girl?”
I blinked at the were-cat. “N-no. I mean, she’s a good friend. What did I say to make you think that?”
The feline rumbled, amused. “Other than you mentioning her half a dozen times? It’s the way you say her name.” Ames took a deep breath and then let it out in a clearly hammed-up and lovelorn sigh, “Parsnip.”
I swatted the cat’s flank.
Undeterred, the were-cat asked, “Did you bed her?”
For some reason, my mind shut off at this blunt question. I was reduced to sputtering out my denial a half word at a time.
Ames seemed to find this incredibly funny. After the feline stopped laughing, my cheek received a thorough nosing. “Relax. You know, I still see clients when I’m at the Vole. It would be ridiculously unfair for me to be jealous just because you had a little fun with a friend. I’m certain that at the end of the day you’re coming back to me. As long as the person in question knows about our relationship and our dedication to one another, I don’t see an issue.”
I shook my head. “You never cease to amaze me, you know that?”
The feline rumbled, “Good. Now show me that privacy spell of yours. If those two kids walk in on us, they might be scarred for life.”
I cast my spell and hid the two of us away from the rest of the world. I can’t put into words how much I missed those sharp claws plucking at my flanks, those dangerous teeth nipping at my ear. I missed the love of my precious creature mixed with the feral passion of a wildcat. Making love to Ames meant scraped flesh and muscles burning from the effort. And then it meant warm cuddling and gentle nuzzles until the echoes of our bliss brought oblivion. At least until morning.
“Sorch? Hey, Sorch?”
It wasn’t the wake up that I had been expecting. Still, the pair of us must have slept for at least eight hours judging by how good I felt.
I mumbled, “Ames, say good morning to Leeson.”
The feline growl
ed, “Morning Leeson. Go away b’fore I eat you.”
The lad, whose head was stuck right into the area defined by the Private Sanctum, stammered, “S-sorry you two. There’s a message here? From Master Max?”
“Okay.” I said with a yawn. Then I reached out with a green skinned foot and gently pushed Leeson’s face out of the cube of privacy.
In the darkness, I felt rather than saw my lover crane their neck up so that they could nose at my chin. “I’ve got to get back now anyway. I’ll check up on you in a few days, okay?”
A grunt was my reply. After sharing a lingering kiss with Ames, I tossed off the covers fully.
“Oh, be a dear and throw my things in here.”
I chucked Ames’ clothes and gear into the cube of darkness, then I put on my undergarments and a black robe. While smoothing down my wild hair, I read the note that had been left on my desk:
‘Get your green ass over here. Headmaster’s office. - Max’
I proceeded through all of the checkpoints until I was strolling up the halls of the North Wing. I walked into the Headmaster’s outer office, where the Headmaster’s Assistant resided. If anything, the elderly elven woman looked even older this time around. She didn’t even glance up from her paperwork before droning the word:
“Name.”
I sighed. “Sorch Stonebender.”
There was a pause that went on far too long. Just as I was about to say my name again, the elf said, “The Headmaster will see you shortly.” There was no enthusiasm or joy in that voice whatsoever.
I paced around the outer office for a good five minutes. I spotted a bowl of shelled walnuts on the edge of the assistant’s desk, and reached out to take one.
“Don’t touch that.”
I slowly withdrew my hand with a little frown.
Just then, Max opened the door and said, “Sorch, get in here.”
Dry as a skeleton in the desert, the Headmaster’s Assistant said, “He’ll see you now.”
The office was the same as ever, except the snake habitat was empty. Whenever and wherever Hemitath had gone, she’d taken Dutch with her.
After closing the door behind me, Max said, “I’d fire her, but she’s so damned good at her job, it’s almost supernatural.”