Malin – Checklist
Malin
Checklist
Anticipation and dread warred equally in Malin’s chest as she navigated the sunlit corridors of the Elven palace.
Her mental clock was already ticking. There was so much to accomplish before the sun set, and they left for Fellspire: say goodbye to the kids, spend precious time with her mother, and, most urgently, find a Minster to lock down her dangerous siphon magic.
She was speed-walking, her mind a thousand miles away, when she rounded a marble corner and walked squarely into a solid wall of indigo silk and midnight fur.
Malin stumbled back with a gasp. Before she could fall, a sleek, clawed hand caught her elbow with impossible, fluid grace, steadying her effortlessly.
“My apologies, Malin,” Mira’ren said, her melodic voice perfectly calm.
The Basat ambassador released her arm, standing taller than Malin remembered from the reception. The contrast between her dark fur and the pale gold of her predatory, analytical eyes was almost hypnotic.
“Mira. No, it was my fault. I was headed to the Minsters, and I wasn’t looking…” Malin started, her heart hammering from the collision.
But before she could finish her apology, Opal bounded from the floor, once again choosing Malin over the rest of the room. His leap from afar directly into her arms almost made her lose her footing.
He settled directly against her chest, demanding to be held. Digging her fingers into his impossibly soft fur, Malin inhaled sharply.
His scent was entirely different. Gone was the comforting aroma of her childhood; instead, the feline smelled of spicy musk and ozone, instantly bringing Will to the forefront of her mind.
Between the vivid reminder of her husband and the familiar’s heavy, thrumming purr, the morning’s buzzing anxiety finally began to melt away.
A breathless laugh escaped her lips. “I guess I needed this more than I realized.”
Mira tilted her head at a distinctly feline angle.
Her golden eyes swept over Malin’s exhausted face, seeing far too much.
“You are moving at the speed of a hunted prey, Malin. I know you are seeking the Minsters, but Opal insists you pause. There is a quiet alcove just here. It will not take long.”
With a graceful wave of her hand, the ambassador gestured to a small, sun-drenched recess carved into the hallway, outfitted with a low table and several plush, comfortable chairs.
Precious minutes were ticking by, and the urge to keep moving warred within her exhaustion. But as Opal rubbed his jaw firmly against her cheek, leaving behind a faint, tingling warmth that soothed her frayed magic, her shoulders dropped.
“Okay, Opal. You are a hard one to say no to,” she breathed.
Adjusting her grip on the heavy cat, she followed the ambassador into the alcove and sank into one of the velvet chairs.
She didn’t set him down. Yielding entirely to the comfort, Malin buried her face in his snowy ruff, letting the thunderous, vibrating purr shake the lingering tension straight from her bones.
His paws were the size of fists, and his incredible weight served as a shield against last night’s terror and heartache.
Across the low marble table, the Basat settled into her own seat with liquid grace.
Her golden eyes flicked from Malin to the familiar with something close to genuine empathy.
She folded her hands neatly in front of her, the pink pads at her fingertips contrasting sharply with her midnight fur and bright white, claw-like nails.
“As I said, Opal has the ability to read people and calm them,” Mira said, her voice as smooth as glass. “He usually avoids strangers. You and your kits seem to be the rare exception.”
Anchored to the present by the silken fur, Malin stroked the space just behind the cat’s ears.
“I’m so glad he made an exception. After the morning I’ve had, he is a lifesaver.
Honestly, if he ever wants to wander the halls and visit the kids, he is more than welcome. They would absolutely love him.”
A faint, pleased smile made the ambassador’s whiskers twitch. “I am certain he will hold you to that offer. Now, tell me... is it true what the palace servants whisper? That you are the one they call the Feniks Talavo?”
Letting out a tired sigh, Malin leaned a fraction deeper into the cushions.
“It is what they are calling me, but I don’t know enough about the lore to know if they’re right.
I grew up in Media, where magic didn’t exist. Most days, I feel like I’m entirely faking it.
I guess one day I’ll find out if I am or not. ”
Thoughtful contemplation narrowed those striking golden eyes.
“A modest answer. Unexpected from royalty,” Mira murmured.
“I understand what it is to navigate foreign customs. The Basat do not typically associate with outsiders. My own mother was deeply displeased with my curiosity regarding the other races, which is exactly why I was given this ambassador role. It is to keep me out of the way.” She said this, radiating a distant, fierce pride.
“But from what I have seen, you are a fierce, protective mother. That is a quality I deeply admire.”
A fragile, comforting peace settled over them for a few moments as the morning sun crept across the stones, warming the air. Coiling tighter in Malin’s lap, the giant cat’s purr deepened into a rumbling vibration.
“He isn’t just a pet, you know,” Mira murmured, tapping her temple with a long, dark finger. “Opal is a familiar. He has a voice of his own, if one knows how to listen. He is as close as I will likely ever get to a child.”
Intrigued by the telepathic implication, Malin raised an eyebrow. “That is beautiful. Well, does he have an opinion on my scratching technique?”
“He says you found the perfect spot. He also says you will change the order of things,” the ambassador translated, her golden gaze locking directly onto Malin’s.
“Not just for yourself, but for many. He says you are a spark, and sparks become flame. The danger is that flames consume just as easily as they create. He worries for you.”
The cat’s heavy, vibrating weight suddenly felt incredibly significant. Malin blinked down at the white fur. “I hope he’s a better judge of character than I am. Right now, I mostly feel like a cautionary tale.”
Contemplation narrowed Mira’s eyes as she studied her. “I know we do not know each other well, but I offer an impartial ear. What upsets you so deeply this morning?”
Her fingers stalled in Opal’s thick coat.
Should she tell a foreign ambassador family secrets?
But the sheer exhaustion and frustration finally won out.
“We leave for a dangerous mission at sundown,” she admitted, the confession resting heavy on her tongue.
“And while we are gone... I am terrified my children won’t be protected. ”
The ambassador’s golden eyes softened just a fraction. “Opal says he will watch over them.”
A shaky breath escaped her lungs, bringing an immediate and profound sense of relief. “That would mean everything to me. They have already survived so much. Leaving them behind feels like tearing myself in half.”
Lifting his massive head, Opal blinked up at her.
His bright green eyes caught the morning light.
For a breathless second, she swore the cat was trying to push a thought directly into her mind, like a cryptic warning hovering just out of reach.
The electric sensation lingered as she stroked his back one last time, soothing the animal and herself.
Unfolding with pure sinew and grace, Mira rose from her chair. “I wish we had more time to get to know each other, but unfortunately, I must go, and I recall you saying you had places to be. I hope to see you again soon, Malin. The company of true warriors is rare in this palace.”
“Thank you for this,” Malin said earnestly, the truth of it swelling in her chest. “For your time, and your company. I really needed it.”
A smile became barely visible against the midnight fur as Mira’s eyes glinted. “Thank Opal.”
Gliding out of the alcove, the ambassador left as silently as she arrived. Opal jumped down from Malin’s lap, stretched lazily, padding after his ambassador with his white tail held high.
Pivoting away from the sunlit recess, her mind still buzzed with the cryptic prophecy.
Malin stopped dead.
Another shadow was completely blocking her path.
Caelum.
The shock of seeing him sent a jolt through her, equal parts old, forgotten tenderness and modern revulsion. He looked painfully out of place among the shimmering amber and refined Elven elegance of the palace.
As his eyes lingered on her, Malin’s skin crawled. She remembered his attempt to drug her and the way he’d systematically ignored her marriage. No amount of his recent help in finding Will or searching for the kids could quite wash away the bitter taste of his gaslighting.
“Doc,” he said, his voice reaching for a familiarity she wasn’t ready to grant. “I’ve been looking for you.”
She considered walking right past him, but the reminder that he was Ellie’s father stayed her feet. He deserved to know his daughter just as much as Will deserved to know Zee, regardless of how Malin felt about the man himself.
Caelum stood with his hands buried in his pockets, his gaze fixed on the floor. “Do you have a minute?”
She sighed, crossing her arms. “What is it, Caelum? I’m on a schedule.”
“I need your help,” he said, his voice dropping.
“With Ellie. I know we agreed to wait to tell her I’m her father, but she won’t even look at me.
I tried the advice Will gave me, but she just shuts down.
I thought maybe... if you told her who I am?
If you gave us some time together? I just want a chance to know her. ”
Malin’s eyes narrowed, her defensive instincts flaring. “You want me to force her to like you?”