Love Crafted

Chapter Thirty-Six

You skip to class, because skipping makes your dress go floosh floosh with every step and it feels good. Lots of mortals laugh when they see you skipping, and some of the girls clutch their hands together and make little cooing sounds before they try to pat you. Obviously, skipping does something to the brains of mortals, but its a good thing because it leads to patting.

Abigail, of course, isnt far behind you. She has a big book tucked up against her chest and is walking with a bit of a skip in her step. Not a proper skip though, just some bounciness. Clearly shes missing out.

Which class are we going to? you ask her.

Ah, this morning is one long class until Lunch, Abigail says. Its an obligatory first year only class called Familiar Care and Training.

You stop mid-skip, spin around, then let gravity do the thing where it pulls you down. You have classes that teach you how to cuddle? You ask. This school is clearly the best school.

Abigail pats your head a little as she walks by. Not quite. Come on, youll be able to see what Im talking about in a few minutes. She leads you past a few empty classrooms and a bunch more where students are gathering and chit-chatting. You find it all quite silly how these mortals are all gathered here in their black robes and silly hats, especially the first years with their long cone hats. They have to bend over double just to enter a room without losing their headgear.

Then Abigail brings you to a classroom thats way bigger than the rest. Theres a big man at the very front, a professor youd guess, but his hat is on the desk next to the blackboard. Half his hair is missing, and one of his eyebrows. You suspect that hes a member of the Cannonry Club because hes also missing a hand.

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Youre not super early, but youre early enough to see a free spot next to Charlotte where only her bag is waiting. There are a few boys talking to her, but she dismisses them with a shooing gesture when she sees you and Abigail walking into the room.

Hello, probationary friends, Charlotte says. I saved you some seats.

You grin up at her and plot yourself down between her and Abigail. Hi, you say.

She chuckles and looks past you to Abigail. Hello Abigail. You seem to be doing better this morning.

Ah, Abigail says. She takes a deep breath and nods. I think I am, yes. How about you?

Still on the lookout for a club to join, Charlotte admits. Were looking into the Old Faiths Club this afternoon?

Abigail nods and wiggles into her seat. We are, if youre up for it. Im afraid I cant stay as long tonight, I do have work to do.

Charlotte waves it off. Thats fine. It even works out for me. The Athletics Club is meeting this evening, and I intend to be there for their first official gathering.

Class fills up as more students move in. You notice Everette sitting in the row behind you, Wuffles right by his side and eyeing you with his big doggy eyes, and next to him is Maddie with her weird white cat-thing Cutebee. You and Cutebee stare at each other, but he never blinks and you cant just pull your eyes out to keep staring at him when facing the front of the class or Abigail would make a fuss.

You content yourself with hiding a bunch of tentacles around the cat-thing in case it gets any clever ideas. Sharp tentacles.

The big man at the front bangs his fist on his desk for attention a moment after the bell rings. Everyone. This class is meant to teach you how to care for your Familiars. Familiars, as you ought to know, but a few fail to every year, are not merely some animal handed to you for fun. They are linked to you, part of you. You had to give of your blood and will to bring them to you, and in doing so have bonded with them soul-to-soul. Familiars may die, and with them part of you will go.

He begins pacing. It is possible to have more than one Familiar, or to summon a second Familiar after the passing of your first. Some of the more experienced professors have lost their companions. Youll note that few of them have a second Familiar. The tearing of that bond is one of the leading causes of suicide amongst accredited mages and for good reason.

Theres a bit of murmuring in the class, and lots of the students are hugging their Familiars close. You lean over towards Abigail. "You wont summon another Familiar, right? you ask her.

She smiles and pulls you into a sidelong hug. The mere idea that there are two of you terrifies me, she says.

Good. Youre unique and special and deserve more hugs.

Of course, if there was a second Dreamer you would eat her.

The rest of the lesson is about caring for different sorts of Familiars, but the big professor man soon breaks the class up and tells the students to form groups of four to discuss their experiences so far and to give each other advice about Familiar handling.

Of course, Abigail teams up with friend Charlotte right away, but that leaves you two people short.

And then Everette shows up with Maddie. Do you guys mind if we form a team? he asks.

Of course not, Charlotte says.

You glare at Cutebee, but youve been outplayed already. Theres nothing to do about it.