The Chimera Summoner – Ch 36 – Part Lorna (2) – The Ledge
Part 2-
I obeyed, and stuck a fork into a fancy ball of golden, crisped something.
It was unquestionably the most delicious thing I had ever put in my mouth. For food, at least. An involuntary groan rumbled out of my chest and I chewed.
“Fuuuuuuck!” I said, before slapping my hand over my mouth and darting my gaze around the fancy restaurant. Luckily, no one was too close to us in our little corner, so no offended stares met me.
Lorna laughed, dabbing her cheeks elegantly with her fingertips and the tension between us broke.
“So.” She said, taking a steadying breath. “Mates with Violette.”
I followed her lead into more casual conversation, unable to stop a broad grin from emerging. “Yeah. It’s pretty great. She showed me her tails.”
Lorna nodded approvingly. “Not many species have the capacity for such vulnerability. To be trusted so is a very great honor. Take care of her.”
“Help me be the best partner I can.” I asked earnestly. “For all of you.”
Lorna smiled. “You have me behind you, in all things. Even toward such selfish causes as this, seeing as I will be one of the beneficiaries, both directly and through the happiness of our companions.”
We shared a happy look as I munched through the appetizer at speed.
“What did you mean vulnerability?” I asked.
“Violette is a Seeker. Her tails are her souls.” Lorna explained. “Unique among Astral Entities, they bring their true souls into the worlds, when they are Familiars. If she was harmed, with her hidden tails exposed, she could be permanently changed or destroyed. She did not tell you this?”
I rocked back, wide eyed, shaking my head.
“Exposing them to you is an act of submission and trust that few are even capable of. You should feel very loved.” Lorna said.
“I do!” I said. “I knew they were beautiful, and soft oh my gods I had no idea anything could be so soft. I had no idea they were her SOUL. That’s insane. Makes sense they’d be so beautiful….”
I slumped, pondering the new information.
“She allowed you to TOUCH them?” Lorna whispered in shock.
I snapped up. “Yeah?”
Lorna blinked rapidly for several seconds. “My goodness.”
She reached out absently for her tea, but it was still in its elegantly painted pot.
I reached over and poured her tea for her. She inclined her head in graceful appreciation.
“I have to ask.” I said, eying the tea.
She leaned forward and blew gently, letting the steam billow into her face. She breathed deep.
“Does that… is that good?” I asked, fascinated.
She chuckled softly into her hand. “I was a farmer, for a lifetime. Long, long ago in another world. One of the things we grew was tea.”
I gawked.
“We used to make tea on the coldest nights, my summoner and I.” She continued, letting her gaze drift over the swiftly darkening bay. “The smell of spiced tea still calms me. It reminds me of her.”
I tilted my head, fascinated. “Were you in love?” I asked.
She shot me a cautious look.
“I’m not jealous. You’ve had lives and lives before me, and will after. I want all of them to be full of love, if possible. You said you had a lifetime there?”
She relaxed. “We were in love. We lived there, in secret, for nearly a century.”
“She was a Wayfinder?”
“Something similar.” Lorna nodded. “They called themselves adventurers in that world. They were very dashing. And very arrogant. And very brave.”
“What was her name, if that’s appropriate to ask?” I asked.
Her face filled with warmth and fondness and a deep nostalgia. “Melody Elaine Lark. I called her Mel.”
She became substantial to place her hand in mine and let me give her a little squeeze.
“Thank you.” I said, honestly. I felt like she’d entrusted me with a secret treasure.
“She would have adored you.” She whispered. “As I do.”
I smiled, feeling bashful at the warmth in her voice.
“Will you tell me a little about her?” I asked.
Lorna’s smile filled with warmth. Through our bond I felt an oceanic nostalgia that reached deeper than I could see. Within it, the dark shapes of love and grief swam deep and vast.
“She was a genius of ritual magic.” Lorna said. “It was she that taught me the craft, though I am but a doodle enthusiast, taught by the artist of a generation.”
“That's amazing!” I said.
Lorna nodded. “She summoned me without a Skill to aid her. I never worked out how that was possible. But Melody did it.”
“She must've been an amazing teacher! It seems like you can do all kinds of things, and so much easier and faster than I've heard of.” I said.
Lorna shook her head, laughing, “She was a poor teacher, as geniuses so often are, but I was an even poorer student. I learned only a fragment of what she had to give.”
“The craft helps you remember her too.” I concluded.
Lorna smiled at the horizon. “Yes.”
“Will you teach me, sometime?” I asked.
Lorna tilted her head thoughtfully. “I would be honored. But I am loath to lay a false foundation for your educators at Bayloft to build upon.”
“They teach ritual magic at Bayloft?!” I asked, dumbfounded.
Lorna giggled musically. “You truly only care about Wayfinding.”
It wasn't quite a question, but I answered anyways. “It used to be my top priority, yeah.”
Lorna eyed me quizzically. “And now?”
“You.” I said, promptly. “Lucy. Violette. Serenity.”
She smiled radiantly. Her approval made me feel… proud of myself? Noble? Good? Made me want to be better?
“Jennifer?” She asked.
I rested my chin on my hand. “That one's more complicated. We don't quite know what we want from one another yet. But. Yeah. You're right. She's more important than Wayfinding.”
Lorna nodded approvingly and we sat in amicable silence for a while. Another course arrived. I had demolished the first one.
“How does someone like that end up farming tea?” I asked, abruptly. “Melody. Sorry. Genius of a generation, you said. But she's a farmer. How?”
Lorna paused, staring out the window for a long time. I let her, drawing a tiny circle with my finger against hers.
“She was a woman of peace, gifted in war.” She said at last. “We… drank deep of both, before the end.”
We sat quietly for several more minutes.
“Thank you for asking me about Mel.” Lorna said, breaking our pause.
“I feel like you're trusting me with treasures.” I said honestly. “Thank you. I would hear more, anything you'd tell me about her. About your life together. I'm not looking to replace her. Obviously. I could never. But I bet there's things about loving you that I could learn?”
Lorna smiled fondly. “Maybe another time. For just now, I wish to focus on us, if that suits you?”
I brushed the top of her hand. “Ok, princess. That sounds nice. There is a lot about you that I am dying to know, to be fair. How many times have you been a Familiar?”
She wafted some more tea steam up for herself.