by Viola Grace
She scowled. “Was that what you looked like?”
“It is fairly close. I was older when I was captured, but I think that the small silver streak is a nice touch.” He lifted his head, and she burst out into sobs.
He sighed and got up, carefully lifting her out of the bed and setting her on his lap with the IV next to them.
When she finished crying, he whispered, “This is a turn of events, huh? Normally I am in your lap.”
She snickered and leaned against his shoulder. “Are you safe now?”
“As safe as I can be. The pardon has come through from the guild, by the way. You are my last mage.”
She gasped and looked up. “Wonderful. How do I set you lose?”
“Oh, I am not getting loose, not until you get a familiar to replace me that is as magnificent as I am. You also have a lot of plans for the future, and I am in them, so it would be rude to have to adjust your trajectory.”
She laughed. “Right. Thank you. Are you still a kitten?”
“I can choose the kitten for easy transport, a larger cat when I am on my own, or my hellcat appearance if need be.”
“Wow. That must be nice.”
He gave her a gentle hug. “It truly is. How are you going to adapt to the scars?”
Imara looked down at the silvery slices that crossed her arm in places, and she shrugged. “I will adapt. They are part of me now, and I don’t recall reading about a lot of lamia survivors.”
“There are none. They die screaming within a day of their attack. You got lucky that you were close enough to call for help.”
She smiled. “I called for Reegar. He would know what I wanted. Where is he, by the way?”
“He’s waiting outside with the others. We didn’t want to overwhelm you.”
The air ruffled the walls of the tent. “Where are we, by the way?”
“Ritual Space. Adrea offered to host your transfusions and recuperation here so that no one could interfere with it.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Did you play tag with Blueberry?”
“Of course. He is an excellent companion and wonderful conversationalist. You have introduced me to the most fascinating people.” He grinned and gave her another hug.
She sighed and carefully got to her feet, holding the IV pole in one hand. She walked slowly with the soft white gown clinging tightly to her in an ancient toga design. She opened the tent flap and walked out into afternoon sun. Mr. E was behind her and taller than she would have imagined.
A gathering of people was sitting in another marquee, so Imara wandered over to where her friends, family, and intimidating strangers were gathered.
Bara was sitting and holding Luken’s hand, or she was holding his.
Imara walked up to her, and she asked the most important question of all. “Was there any of that cake left over? I am pretty sure I passed the exam.”
Luken whooped and jumped up, hugging her tight before letting Bara in for her turn.
The next twenty minutes were rounds of tears, hugs, and a sweet kiss from Argus that made her rise up on her toes.
“I didn’t know if you would make it.” He whispered it against her ear.
“I didn’t either.”
“I don’t want to lose you.”
She leaned back and smiled at him. “I will always fight to stay.”
“I will have to take that as good enough.”
“You will. Just as I have to take your little journeys into homicide and raging trolls as part and parcel of who you are. You have your world, and I am glad it crossed into mine.” She stroked his cheek.
Chancellor Mirrin cleared her throat. “Should I be giving some kind of safe-sex speech here?”
Reegar laughed. “It wouldn’t do any good. Imara will take care of herself, or she will choose not to. You have little say in the matter. She’s a strong person.”
Imara hugged Argus and looked at Reegar. “You are still able to roam?”
“Yes, whatever you did went into the bedrock of the college. All of the spectres have a range they hadn’t imagined, though only I retain the physical presence.”
“You are special.”
He grinned and then sobered. “That was dangerous.”
“Detonating the spell on my body? Yeah.”
“No, facing a lamia.”
“Oh, that wasn’t a choice. We finished confirming the exam, and then, she shook my hand, and the first venom entered my system. I didn’t do anything after that but run as long as I could. I think I made it thirty feet outside the lab before N’sha got me.”
Reegar blinked. “Then what happened?”
“I couldn’t reach Mr. E, so I called the spectres. You were the only one that showed up, but I know that you knew about the bracelet. If they were after my familiar, all I could do was give him the tools to help himself. I had no idea anyone else would show up.”
Argus murmured, “Luken called me.”
Mirrin nodded, “And me.”
Imara reached out, and Luken came to let her squeeze his hand. “Thank you. I may be pretty flippant about it, but I like being alive.”
He grinned. “It was my pleasure. I am just glad that I guessed Argus’s number on the first try.”
The folks gathered laughed at what they thought was a joke, but Imara looked at Luken and knew the truth. He had simply gotten lucky. It was what he did.
Chapter Eleven
It had been two weeks since she left Ritual Space and returned to the college. Paperwork had become part of everyday life. She had to make out incident reports for the Mage Guild, the XIA, and the Death Keepers. Her manoeuvre of pulling the spectres out of living lamia had caused a lot of fuss.
If it weren’t for her injuries, every single one of those governing bodies would have arrested her, but as it was, she simply got a lecture on not doing it again.
Reegar and his lover were off on holiday for a few days, which disappointed Imara. She was about to leave the Hall, and he wasn’t even home.
Bara and Luken were on their way to a movie, and Mr. E was engaged in the most disturbing development of all. He was dating her mother.
So that was how Imara found herself free of paperwork with no friends available and Argus over an hour away.
“I guess I could watch a movie.” She sat on the couch and turned on the television. Spare time was not something she had had in the last decade.
Her paperwork for a commercial magic license should be confirmed any day now, and then, she needed to make the move to Redbird City.
Imara stared blankly at the screen while she checked off all the boxes for her new occupation. The estate agent had hired a cleaner to go through the rooms and tidy up, a basic bedroom suite and kitchen appliances had been set up upstairs from her offices, and her would-be home was ready.
A tribunal had confirmed that she had passed her course at master’s level, and when she knew she had done her best, she had made sure that Carlos was tested on his work as well.
Once she had the license, she would be able to open up a website and wait for clients. She always had the Death Keeper guild for a basic income, but she wanted her own clients.
Her mind went from hopeful to dark in an instant, and she remembered pulling the spectres from the lamias. She stared at her hands, and she shook at the energy that she had been holding in the palm of her hands. She had pulled centuries of magic away from its owners as if they had no true attachment to it. That was terrifying.
She was lost in thought when a pinging rang out. She lifted her head and listened. Ping.
Imara got to her feet and walked toward the sound, realizing that it was coming from her room.
She carefully walked into her space, and the doorway to Ritual Space was open and glowing. There was only one person who could open it, so Imara put on some shoes and stepped through, ready to do battle with Adrea’s enemies.
“Surprise!” The roar of voices shocked the hell out of Imara, and she fell on her ass the moment tha
t the sound hit her.
Argus came to her rescue and helped her to her feet. There was a huge banner levitating in the air and the words, Congratulations, Imara hovered above the crowd.
She looked up at him. “What the hell?”
Reegar and Lee were standing together and smiling. Lee murmured, “You are underdressed. This is a black-tie affair.”
A wave of his hand later and she was wearing one of the gowns that Bara had designed for her. Her running shoes were still intact, and that made Imara smile.
Argus offered her his arm, and she took it, walking through the crowd and greeting all the people who came to celebrate something.
“Why are we here?” Imara murmured it.
“Your commercial magic license came in today. Reegar and your mother hid it so that we could still have the graduation party. Everyone here has been part of your journey and part of your fight. That group of XIA officers there offered their blood for you, without knowing you. They only knew of your character via other agents and that was enough to bring them out when they thought they could help.”
“They are running through my veins right now.” She smiled at them, and they raised cups to her.
“Yes, but I just wanted you to see how many people are excited to see you reach your goals. We all are. You have a community.”
She leaned against him and whispered. “I know. The moment that I woke up in the tent, I knew that it had taken tremendous effort to get me back.”
“I wish I had been able to help.”
“You kept her from slicing me to pieces. That was huge.”
“I meant in your recovery.”
She laughed. “Of course, you disregard the action and putting your life in danger.”
“That is what I do. Your mother wields a wicked lightning blast, by the way.”
“Glad to hear it. I didn’t know that she was weather trained.”
“I think that this is the moment when you can start to learn about your life or, at least, your family before you were born.”
Mirrin, with her arm linked with Mr. E’s, came toward her. “Imara, please come this way. I have some folk I would like you to meet.”
“Certainly. Mother, can you stop cuddling up to my cat?”
Mirrin grinned. “No. You will get used to it. Eadric is charming, caring, and he loves you as much as I do. It is normal for us to be together.”
Imara linked arms with her mother and eased her away from a smug Mr. E. “Fine. But if you give me a new brother or sister, expect hairballs.”
Mirrin gave a glorious and bright laugh as she and Imara headed to a group of people who were enjoying the beverages and snacks at the party.
“Imara, this is your grandmother and grandfather, Ida and Hector. These are some of your cousins and their children. This is one chunk of the Deepford-Smythe family.”
“I am pleased to meet you.” She looked around and saw a number of familiar faces. Casually, throughout her life, she had met each person at the table. “I know you.”
Ida smiled. “We know you. We have made every effort to meet you and support you across your life. It is a deep relief that you made it this far and are now a Master Mage.”
Imara nodded and smiled. “I remember. I remember you all.”
One cousin had bought cookies from her at a school bake sale, another had helped her change a flat tire, another picked up her wallet and returned it to her in the store. Her grandparents had been at her first job while she was learning how to energize the spectres.
“You have watched me.”
Ida smiled and shook her head. “Oh no. No legally. The Demiels were very strict on your exposure to our side of the family. Legally, we were not allowed to let you know you had any family. By the way, we are having a gathering at the end of next month in Redbird City. You are welcome to attend if you like.”
Mirrin gave her a hug. “She might be overwhelmed. I will get her the information and location.”
Imara smiled. “I will look into it. I am about to open my own business, so my schedule is currently unknown.”
Ida nodded. “I understand. We will keep issuing the invitations, so when you are ready, we will be there.”
It was the best thing she could have said. “Thank you.”
Ida inclined her head. “We are so proud of what you have done on your own, and we look forward to meeting you properly, but for today, enjoy your party. You have more than earned it.”
Mirrin nodded. “They are not wrong.”
Imara looked around to see Benny flapping her hands, and so, she excused herself and went to meet Benny to be formally introduced to her parents.
It was part of being the guest of the hour, so Imara went along and met and greeted folk who had been involved in her survival and—in some cases—existence. It was a relief when she could creep away to a corner and simply get her head together.
She was sitting at the table when a lithe black cat jumped up and sat in front of her. She smiled. “You are exceptionally dramatic as a proper cat.”
He inclined his head. Thank you. Are you overwhelmed?
“Yes. Before I got here, I was alone in the universe with one friend. Now, I am bonded to you, and everybody here has some kind of stake in my life. I know them, they know me, and we like each other. This is... not what I was preparing for.”
He shifted into his mage form. “I know. I am in your mind, and you are in mine. I know that simply opening yourself up to me was huge. This is overwhelming.”
“A little. I am happy about it. So very happy about it.”
“I can feel that, too.”
She grinned. “You know what I can’t get over?”
“What?”
She swatted him on the arm. “My kitten is dating my mom!”
He laughed out loud. “It has been a while for both of us, and we have you in common, so what harm is there?”
Imara grabbed the front of his mage robes and pulled him in. “Stop slipping the privacy wall between us when you and she are making out. It is not a way to keep me sane.”
His cheeks blushed, and a moment later, her little kitten was looking up at her, and he let out a little mew.
“Oh, you are a manipulative little guy.” She picked him up and cuddled him, scratching behind his ears.
The party was in full swing. Her family was talking, the XIA were arm wrestling, her friends were eating blunderberries and trying to figure out what they were tasting, so Imara got up and carried Mr. E along to try and shed some clarity on the flavour.
A white and blue streak went past her feet, and Mr. E was in the air in the next minute, booting through the crowd and trying to catch the bunny alpha of Ritual Space.
She giggled and walked over to the most formal berry tasting she had ever been a part of.
Imara made coffee the next morning for the survivors of the party who had made it back to Reegar Hall.
Mr. E was asleep in a pie pan that was coated with purple berry juice, Reegar and Lee were cuddled up on a couch. Bara was sleeping sitting up, and Luken was head down on the table. Kitigan was curled up in the library. Mirrin was curled up in a ball on the love seat.
Imara looked at the friends and family around her and doubled the coffee shot. They were going to need it. That had been a ton of blunderberry pie.
She picked Mr. E up, and the pie pan came with him. When he moved his paws, the pan released and hit the table with a clatter.
No one even moved.
She grinned and went to wash off her kitten, glancing at her bracelet and smiling again. “Well, it seems that I am all alone once again.”
My eyes are sticky.
“You are getting a bath. You are suffering from blunderberry hangover, just like everyone else.”
Why aren’t you sleepy? You ate three times as much as Kitty did.
“I know. I guess I just got lucky. What are the odds of that.” She grinned as he gave her a silent groan, and as she scrubbed the purple juice from her fam
iliar, she realized that that was exactly what had happened.
The lamia had followed her in a projected form, which accounted for the two extra spectres the day she took the mage guides around the memorial garden. If she had used the fading garden, she would have summoned them into the memorial area, she would have been dead on the spot. Forcing them to hunt her in the open had made them rework their attack, and that had let her get to the point where Imara could summon the help she needed. It had just been luck, instinct, and timing.
With a clean and scrawny familiar, she rubbed him with a fluffy towel until he looked more like a kitten and less like a rat then carried him back downstairs where she was making breakfast for ten. Her studies were done, she had her license, it was now time to get ready to leave the safety of Reegar Hall and step into the world.
She looked at the unconscious friends and family as she made bacon and pancakes. The difference in this move to Redbird City was that she wasn’t going to be alone. It was going to take effort to get her grin off her face.
Epilogue
The door needed a slight nudge to get it open, but it opened. Imara looked down at Mr. E, and she nodded. “This is it.”
He gave her a polite but attentive gaze from his new height. “It looks to be in good condition.”
She grinned. “This is just the exterior door, but I like your enthusiasm.”
Imara pushed the door open all the way, and the slightly dry odour of a closed building met her senses. It was mixed with the scent of newly sawn wood, and that scent confused her.
“Who the heck has been doing work here?” Imara let Mr. E in and closed the door behind her newly reshaped familiar.
Mr. E didn’t respond, but there was a swish to his tail that said he was up to something. The dark, polished wood of the hall led to the right and left. She wanted to make the left into her office and the right into a conference room. Her application for a building permit was with all of her belongings out in the car.
Her beloved kitty and favourite buddy was heading straight for the office space.
She moved carefully around the corner, and she paused in shock when she saw the sketch from her file in full detail in the space. Everything from the desk, filing cabinets, bookshelves, ritual area, and coffee machine in the corner, were all exactly as she had doodled them.
