Chapter 368 – Bonds

Chapter 368 – Bonds

Elijah halted his strides, a gloved hand on the trunk of a spruce. Shadows writhed around him. His gaze shifted from Kai to the purring fluffball in his arms and returned to the far woodland. “Your… roommate.” His jaw locked, tone serious and clipped. “How much do you know about him?”

Ehm… Yeah, it’s definitely Rain.

Kai shuffled on his feet, mouth dry.

“Mew.” Hobbes nestled in his arms, his paws kneading at his fur coat, shifting blue eyes begging for scratches.

Cut the innocent act. Did you bring him here, or not?

Dense puzzlement rang through the bond. Kai had no time to pry the truth from his familiar with Elijah waiting for an answer.

Guess the cat’s out of the bag…

“Are you sure Rain’s coming here for us?” Kai tried to channel some of Hobbes’ guileless looks. “Maybe he just took the same path?” Small chance, considering he’d picked the route because of how remote it was, but he had met bigger coincidences. “Did he notice your wards?”

“Of course not,” Elijah scoffed. “Though my wards are meant to nudge people away and shield us from scrying. He doesn’t need to sense us to follow your tracks. Did you tell anyone where you were going? He stopped where we went off the trail. ”

“I didn’t. I could go meet him. He might just be worried for me—”

“Stay.” Elijah blocked him before he could take a step. His eyes flicked to Hobbes. “We’ll talk later about how you bonded with an astralynx.” He worked his jaw, as if searching for the right words. “How much do you know about Rain? He might not be what you think.”

“Like…” Kai ran his hands through Hobbes’ silky fur. The gentle purring soothed him. His attention wandered over the lush underbrush, though his senses fell hundreds of meters short of reaching the path. “You mean that he’s not… human?”

“You knew?” Elijah’s gaze bore down on him. A heavy breath escaped him. His fingers scraped the bark of the tree, clenching and relaxing. “Damned Gods, what trouble did you get into? Is this linked with the cultists you mentioned? You must not trust a shapeshifter. They always have ulterior motives.”

“Uhm… That sounds like an unfair stereotype for an entire race. I don’t believe—” The crack of more bark being shaved off from the spruce cut Kai’s rambling. “Regardless, Rain’s not a shapeshifter.”

“Yeah, that’s what they make you believe. The House didn’t have much on him. And he’s using a false name.”

“More of a nickname.”

“How do you…” Elijah shut his mouth, breathing out through his nose. “Why don’t you start from the beginning. Who is he? What is he? And how did you meet? Or do you want me to ask him?”

“Okay, okay.” Kai raised his palms. “No need. We crossed paths when I was sailing to the mainland.”

“You crossed paths at sea?”

“Yes, well… you know how the Fate Fulcrum broke? A crew of cultists boarded our ship.”

Elijah cursed under his breath, sharp words in a language Kai didn’t recognize—though, for once, they weren’t directed at him. “Continue,” the butler hissed.

“Yes, so… the Fulcrum worked a little too well. A storm wrecked both ships and left us adrift. We were lucky a merchant vessel fished us out the next day. That’s where I met Rain.”

“He was a sailor on the merchant vessel?”

“Not exactly.” Kai dug his fingers in Hobbes’ fur. “He’s… a siren.”

“A siren,” Elijah muttered.

“Yes! They’re pretty hard to mistake. I don’t know everything, but he’s a friend.”

“How do you always manage to—” Elijah pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you certain?”

“I am. He’s a bit odd, but definitely a friendly fish.”

“What of the cultists?”

“They’re unrelated. I wouldn’t have escaped Limgrell without him.”

“What’s Limgrell? What happened there?”

“Nothing much. My sister got into trouble, and I went to help.” Seeing Elijah’s expression darken, Kai quickly continued. “What about you? Your name was in the journal of a defector of the Stygian Cult. What’s your link?”

“My link?” The lounging frame beneath his black coat shifted into dangerous stillness. “That’s… complicated…” His voice dropped low and cold. “You shouldn’t throw names around so casually. They’re more than one group. It seems we were right to leave the archipelago when we did. You mustn’t involve yourself with them. Much less at your grade.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Do you still have that journal?”

“Yes. It’s in my ring.”

“May I see it?” A gloved hand already waited in askance. He flipped the worn diary and stored it away. “This will be helpful. Thank you.”

Yeah… you’re welcome. I’ve already made a copy.

Kai vainly tried to wait out the ensuing silence before being forced to speak. “You really haven’t answered much.”

“I haven’t. Can you promise you’ll keep away from them if I do?”

“What if I run into them? Or they come to me?”

“No ifs, Kai. Yes or no.” Elijah gripped his shoulder. “Believe me on this, the less you know, the safer you are. They’ve spread deeper into the Republic than I anticipated, but they’re still too weak to challenge the Merian authorities. You’ll be safe as long as you keep your nose out of trouble. It’s not the time to discuss them anyway.”

“When then—”

“Let me be clearer.” A dangerous calm bled into his voice. “A sect of that group was involved in why I hid in the Baquaire Archipelago. Don’t ask me more.”

You mean about your family’s murder?

Kai opened his mouth, not sure what he’d say; Elijah had already turned his attention to Hobbes. “You were to tell me how you bonded an astralynx?”

The silver furball hung in the crook of his arms, enjoying the scratches. His flicking ears betrayed his feigned disinterest in the conversation.

“An astralynx?” Kai scooped up his familiar with both hands and hoisted him up to inspect him, deaf to his protesting meows. “He doesn’t look much like a lynx.” He spluttered as the long, fluffy tail swished in his face. “I met him in the hidden realm when he was a food-thieving kitten. Are you saying Hobbes will grow bigger?”

“Perhaps.” Elijah watched them strangely. “High-tier beasts can often nudge their growth to fit their needs. Their names don’t always indicate blood relations. He might have as much in common with a lynx as a silver wolf. The name likely came more from their shared elusive nature.”

That’s kinda silly.

“Are you going to grow big and ferocious, bud?” Kai held up Hobbes behind his forelimbs and playfully rocked the limp fluffball. His Feline Majesty swayed like a pendulum, ears flattened at the undignified treatment, paws dangling in regal resignation.

Yeah, you’re right, bud. Why would you need to change perfection?

“Ugh,” Elijah cleared his throat, the odd expression lingering. “The spatial mana in the sealed realm might explain why you found him there. Though it’s surprising his mother let him bond with you. Astralynxes are extremely protective of their young. And dangerous.”

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“I never saw a trace of another astralynx there.” Kai slowed the rocking swings. “It was just him.”

Do you know something, bud? Where are your mom and dad?

Hobbes stared at him, head tilted, motionless. His large eyes shifted to a pale green.

A reassuring warmth. Flashes of silver. Stinging cold. The tang of blood.

More flashes of color, sharp smell and drumming emotions rushed through the bond.

Then, stillness.

“Mrow.”

“He… he doesn’t remember.” Kai blinked away the images and dust in his eyes, wrapping Hobbes in his arms.

Don’t worry, buddy. I’m not leaving you.

A notification flashed, and a short scroll window appeared before him, brought forth by his attention.

*Ding*

Congratulations, Hobbes has reached the lv50 threshold!

Uh… What a timing.

“Are you alright?” Elijah asked.

“Yeah. All fine.” Kai dismissed the Guide—another choice for later, adding to Shadow Magic. “Just got a notification. You were saying?”