33. Matilda
33
MATILDA
I scream as a small creature leaps onto my chest, chittering away manically as I screech in its face. It has a tiny lion’s head, complete with mane, the body of a pixie and a mouthful of teeth that are as sharp as razors.
“Fuck!” I yell as its tiny claws rip through my tee as it clings to me. “Fuck!”
“Tilly!” Draven says. “Stay calm. Don’t move.”
“Easy for you to say! You don’t have a crazed animal stuck to you! Get it off me!”
I try zapping it with my newly awoken magick, but nothing happens. Fucking typical. As soon as I need it, it abandons me.
“Calm down,” Draven murmurs, moving closer. “Do not startle it.”
“Startle it ?” I growl.
“What the fuck is that thing?” Vex asks, peering at it with a scholarly interest that would be sexy as fuck, if I weren’t terrified this thing is going to eat me alive.
“An Araxi,” Luc says, stepping up beside me with a magickal net, ready to capture the damned thing.
“That means absolutely nothing to me,” I snap as the creature sticks his head under my chin and snuggles into me, chittering softly now, almost as if it’s content. I rear back as far as I can, but seeing as it is stuck to me, I can’t exactly move away from it.
“It is a monster from the Wastelands,” Draven explains, slowly, too fucking slowly, approaching the Araxi from behind it.
“Monster?” I whisper, stifling my snort. “It’s tiny.”
Luc shoots me a wry stare. “It eats its victims alive, stripping their flesh from their bones in a matter of seconds. Usually, they travel in packs and never outside of the Wastelands.”
“So what the fuck is it doing attached to Tilly?” Vex asks.
“Packs?” I rasp as fresh panic slams into me. “Shouldn’t we be focused on the pack part?”
“Where is the Wastelands?” Vex asks, straightening up.
“It’s a hell dimension right next door to Hell,” Draven mutters, reaching out slowly with his hands.
Suddenly, the Araxi turns its head all the way around like an owl and snaps its jaws at Draven, who backs off faster than I would call ‘manly’.
“If you are scared of this thing, then you need to get it off me,” I grit out.
“It is immune to our powers,” Luc mutters, sounding almost embarrassed by that fact.
“Great,” I mutter, but the Araxi settles again, curling up on my chest and purring with its head under my chin again.
“I think it likes you,” Vex states, more clear-headed about this thing than the Princes. “I don’t think we need to worry.”
“Two things, mate ,” Luc snaps. “First thing, that monster doesn’t like people, and secondly, it shouldn’t be in this dimension.”
“Then it must’ve come for Tilly,” Vex says reasonably.
“It’s a scout,” Draven mutters. “Only scouts travel on their own.”
“Which means,” Luc gulps, and I giggle openly at his terror and feelings about it. “The pack is on its way.”
We all turn to stare down the hallway, but nothing else appears.
“Miss Matilda,” Blackthorn’s voice resounds in the opposite direction, so we all turn to stare at him now. “It appears you have found your familiar.”
“Huh?” I mutter as Professor Fauna rushes up to his side.
“Indeed!” she says. “And what a magnificent creature. From the Wastelands, I believe. A rare sight here.”
“How do you know it’s my familiar?” I croak.
“It has chosen you and bonded to you,” Blackthorn says, peering at it much like Vex had.
The Araxi hisses at him, and he backs up quickly.
“Very protective. Remarkable.”
“Scary as fuck, you mean,” Luc mutters.
“Language, Mr Luc,” Blackthorn chides him with a stern glare.
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. This tiny terror is supposed to be my familiar? The creature nuzzles deeper into my neck, its purring intensifying. Despite my initial fear, I relax slightly. I glance down at the Araxi, its lion-like mane tickling my chin. “Does this mean I’m stuck with it?”
“Him,” Blackthorn corrects. “And yes, the bond is for life. Though I must say, I’ve never heard of an Araxi bond with anything before. Fascinating. Absolutely fascinating.”
Luc steps closer, eyeing the creature warily. “But what about the pack? If this is a scout...”
“He’s not a scout,” Fauna assures us. “This little one broke from the pack to come to Matilda.” She reaches out hesitantly and runs the back of her finger over his head. He responds by snapping half-heartedly at her fingers.
“Stroke him, Miss Matilda,” Blackthorn urges. “Let’s see how he responds to you.”
I glare at him. “If he bites my fingers off, I’m blaming you.”
He chuckles. “Noted.”
Hesitantly, I reach up to stroke the Araxi’s tiny lion head. His fur is surprisingly soft, and he leans into my touch, purring even louder. A warmth spreads through my chest, and I feel a connection forming between us.
“He likes you,” Fauna says, beaming. “What will you name him?”
I stare down at the creature. Despite his fearsome reputation, there’s something oddly adorable about him. “I’m not sure. I’ll have to think about it. Unless you already have a name?” I ask him. He stares back at me, but I get nothing, so I shrug. “Guess we will have to find something suitable, but in the meantime, can someone please explain what exactly an Araxi is supposed to do as a familiar? Besides potentially eating me alive?”
Fauna’s eyes light up with academic excitement. “Araxi are known for their ferocity and loyalty. They’re incredibly protective of their own. As a familiar, he’ll defend you against any threat, magickal or physical.”
“You, Miss Matilda, are his pack now,” Blackthorn adds.
“Great,” Luc mutters. “A pint-sized bodyguard with razor-sharp teeth.”
The Araxi hisses at him, and Luc takes a step back. I giggle, and he gives me a death stare.
“He’ll also enhance your magickal abilities,” Blackthorn adds slowly, eyes narrowed at me. “Though in what way, I’m not entirely sure. This is unprecedented.”
Draven moves closer, his eyes fixed on the creature warily, but he reaches out slowly to try and stroke him. The Araxi isn’t in the mood, though, and lets Draven know about it.
“Will it... grow?” I ask.
“No,” Draven says, withdrawing his hand. “That’s as big as they get.”
“Well, that’s something, I suppose. I can’t let him loose in the academy; he might eat someone. And that brings up the question of what do I feed him?”
“Bloody steak should do it,” Luc grumbles.
“I would concur,” Blackthorn says. “As for letting him loose, you will have to order him not to eat anyone.”
“Simple as that?”
He shrugs.
“That’s not very reassuring!”
“Try it.”
I hesitate but then clear my throat. “Hey there, Araxi. I don’t want you to eat anyone, okay? I’ll feed you raw steak.”
He chitters at me and snuggles against my chest again.
“Is that agreement?”
“I would say so,” Blackthorn says. “Just don’t forget to feed him, hmm, Miss Matilda.”
Eyes wide, I nod. “I won’t.”
The Araxi snuggles deeper into my chest, his tiny claws pricking through my shirt. I wince, but don’t push him away, afraid of angering him.
“So, um, what do I do with him now?” I ask, looking between Blackthorn and Fauna.
Fauna beams at me. “Bond with him, of course! Spend time getting to know each other. Familiars are deeply connected to their witches. He’ll learn to understand your needs and desires, and you’ll learn to interpret his behaviour.”
“Right,” I mutter, glancing down at the creature. His golden eyes peer up at me, filled with an intelligence I hadn’t noticed before. “I guess we have some bonding to do, little guy.”
The Araxi chirps happily, nuzzling my chin.
“Perhaps it would be best if you took him back to your room,” Blackthorn suggests. “And reiterated about not eating anyone.”
I nod and watch as Blackthorn and Fauna walk off, talking quietly, no doubt about the reason why this Araxi came out of the bowels of hell to be my familiar. Would be nice if they shared any theories because I’m coming up blank. I look around at the guys. “I’d better do this alone.”
“Good call,” Luc agrees.
I leave the three guys to push open my bedroom door and enter the room, hoping this doesn’t go sideways and my little monster pet doesn’t rampage through the academy eating everyone.