Toymaker

Chapter 6

"Well, that's because Qina is just too worldly for the both of us."

They shared a laugh before each returned to their work.

As her hangover finally subsided into something more manageable, Idana's thoughts turned to Gabri's sister: her first friend in Wyndhaven. Qina was a palace maid and had helped ease her in to the politics at court when she had took on the role of the Crown Prince's magic tutor.

If it hadn't been for Qina, Idana didn't know how she would have survived.

Then, of course, there was Anais. Since she had moved into the dormitories, Idana hadn't been able to catch sight of the dark-skinned noblewoman and adopted daughter of Lord Yaelyn. Though the start of their friendship had started off rocky, they had soon become fast friends.

And it was a shame since she moved out of the palace, she had seen neither hair nor hide of her two main reasons for staying in Wyndhaven. Maybe, thought Idana, she needed to change that.

As the morning passed into early afternoon, Idana's stomach grumbled. Lunch had come and gone. Thankfully, in that time, she had completed her readings and had jotted down a few formulas she would need for class. Now, there was an essay she still needed to write up for Professor Palomen on the nature of familiars and their intrinsic link to a mages' magic.

But that was something she felt better capable to complete in the silence of her room.

Rising to her feet, Idana bid Gabri farewell. The younger girl looked up from her list and waved goodbye, asking if they could grab breakfast tomorrow morning at the refectory. When Idana agreed, Gabri had beamed before returning to her extensive list.

Just as she was about to leave the sanctity of the library and return to her rooms, with perhaps a stop at the refectory for a light snack to eat, there was the sound of a commotion in the atrium.

"Someone get this bloody owl out of here!"

Idana rose to her toes to see over the heads of the gathered crowd, letting her curiosity take the lead. The sudden flap of wings drew Idana's attention. Before she could duck out of the way, a mottled brown great horned owl barrelled towards her.

Mouth full of feathers, she let out an astonished gasp. "Min!"

"Oi! If that bird's yours, you need to take it outside. No pets or familiars allowed in. This is a place of learning. Take the riffraff out." A tall bald man at the door glowered at her. One long finger extended out towards the quadrangle. He wore a formal jacket matched with trousers of the deepest blue.

"I—yes, I'm sorry." Holding on tight to the owl, Idana squeezed past the other students and staff in the atrium and hurried out of the library. All the while, she felt the weight of the man's gaze drilling a hole in the back of her head. The look on his face, as she had ducked under his arm, had promised death and dismemberment if she ever allowed so much as a feather back in the sanctified grounds of the Academy library.

It took all of Idana's willpower not to turn around and stick her tongue out at him.

What crawled up his butt anyways? It wasn't as if Min had been attacking the books. The familiar had simply tried to find her and had made a small bit of fuss in the Goddess-damned atrium.

A coo in her arms had her look down at the distressed great horned owl in her arms. "Oh, I'm so sorry Min." She crouched down and gently released the owl.

Min flared her wings as she landed awkwardly on the ground. As she managed to find her footing, Min turned around and then raised a leg.

It took a moment for Idana to realise what it meant. The owl had a reply from Lacet.