Read Lions Are The Worst Familiars :: A Dangerous Message

Aliki

I stared down at my desk. Yuka was out seeing Olivandrius off, granting me some alone time to think about some things.

I opened the drawer and took out a battered stack of letters.

' Yuka Trea, for the honor of the Familiar Choosing. ' Dated 10 years ago.

The letters multiplied every year since I had taken Yuka on as my apprentice, up until now.

' YUKA TREA , CHOSEN FOR THE HONOR OF FAMILIAR CHOOSING . LAST INVITE BEFORE ANY ATTEMPTS TO ATTEND WILL BE DENIED. '

I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

"Time is running out, Aliki." Verse said, sitting on my desk as if they always had been. I jumped, staring up at them.

"Verse. When did you get here? And what do you mean by time is running out? Yuka's familiar could be anything, there's no guarantee that his is at the Choosing." I started, but Verse shook their head.

"It is. Guaranteed, I mean. His familiar has been there every year since he became your apprentice, just as you have been keeping him from it every year. The lion is currently locked away somewhere until the Choosing, I do not know by who, though. The transport will be arriving next week. Prepare." Verse replied, slipping off the desk and walking into the wall, where they dissolved into mist.

I shook my head. I suppose Yuka was going to the Choosing after all.

--------

Yuka

I headed straight to the side of the house, avoiding Aliki. I couldn't talk to her, god forbid I accidentally say something related to my house arrest.

I kneeled down and took a piece off of the flower that grew there in large patches. I ate it, smiling at the taste.

"Yuka!"

Aliki stood next to me, looking down at me in disapproval. I swallowed guiltily. "Nerium Oleander is not your little snack. I don't even know why you eat such a thing." She said, grabbing my hand and looking at it concernedly.

My hand remained unblemished, a fact that Aliki resented.

I was born with extremely high poison immunity. "I know it's bad for me, but it's good." I mumbled, standing up and pulling my hand away from her.

"What do you want, anyway?" I asked, tempted to take a stash of the flower for later. I could stuff it in my room, above the bookshelf where Aliki couldn't reach it. Maybe later..

Aliki sighed. "Come inside. We need to talk."

--------

I stared at her, mildly hurt. "You- you're telling me that for 10 years, you've kept me from one of the most stupidly important ceremonies for mages in the WORLD, because you wanted to keep me on this damn island?" I said, louder than I meant to.

Aliki nodded solemnly. "Your parents wanted me to keep you safe here. Leaving the island would be disrespecting their wishe-"

"Bullshit! They're gone now, and this is my island! You were just being selfish!" I practically shouted.

Aliki flinched. "Yuka-"

I got up from the dining table, starting towards the stairs. "Yuka, it was for both of us! If you ever walked out there, it would be impossible for you to pass through without being noticed!" Aliki said desperately.

I whipped around. "If it was for both of us, you would have taught me how to mask my aura or something! Yknow, so I wouldn't be noticed? An excuse like that just sounds stupid at this point! I've been stuck on this island for years, just because you wanted to respect the wishes of people who are and have been dead for 11 YEARS."

The silence that followed was louder than my shouting.

Aliki stared at the floor, ashamed.

"That's not fair." she whispered.

"That's life." I hissed, walking back up to my room and closing the door.