A Tale of One Deviant (Book One)

Chapter 166: Miss Firea's House Inspection

     "And why did you promise that it would be today?"

     "Don't you want to go shake up the apostles that have deigned to abuse your name, running free in the capital? It is an urgent matter."

     "I'm aware of that, Kiki. As you know, I was indisposed for the last few days-"

     "Because Master needs therapy but will never admit to it, launching soul cannons off into the void-"

     "-and a lady is never late. Even if I show up tomorrow I'll still be early."

     "I'm aware that I told you that your pride was good for you. Please, Master, let me add on the words, 'to an extent.'"

     "Whatever." My eyes went up to the ceiling where the skylights were really beaming it down some. Steam was rising out of the corner of my eye as Magaris was finishing up her last minute lunch preparations, swaying something around in a pan. "Should I put some blinds over those? I feel like it makes it a bit hot in here. Or should I just put a seasonal spell on it?"

     "Master, please don't worry about such details at the moment and instead focus on the youth that stare at you from the corner of the kitchen again. You did tell me that you were going to place them somewhere out of sight for the home inspection, yes?"

     I could feel the two pairs of sparkly eyes staring at me from over there, each overly-clawed hand gripping my pristine white walls and leaving stains after eating their own lunch and scampering off out of their room.

     "Faeydark, Fernglow," I called out, still frowning up at the skylight. "What did I tell you about eating and not cleaning your hands?"

     They flinched away from the wall as if they'd been whipped, streaks of porridge left behind. The two children, whom I'd found to be older than their looks of somewhere around my age - well, I didn't exactly look my age either, with my "unusual" appearance - curled in on themselves while keeping tails between legs. Ears went down, eyes flicked to the floor, and the whimpering began.

     The boy, who was nine, and the girl, who was ten, shivered like the six-year-old imitators that they were, their periwinkle hair in violent swipes down their backs after breaking more than one comb after many baths besides cleaning magic, and gaudy, gaudy, gaudy red eyes sticking out from their faces like they were holding gemstones into their skulls with their eyelids. They seemed somewhat apologetic, having been very partial to me after Kiki put some calming spells on them to let their transition go smoother. Perhaps my own overly-scarred appearance made them feel like they had a friend in me, besides the fact that we stood eye to eye.

     Magaris? They ran from her when she approached with food, thrice a day, and only let me sit close to them when I took my meals leaned up against the same wall a few feet away. It was a miracle they'd been patient enough for a bath, but that patience had probably been utter fear, so...

     They took off the way they came after stuttering in their steps, still unable to get the habit out of mind after having their ankles chained by heavy weights. Magaris feigned to peek around the corner and look after them, but they were already gone, and she couldn't move from her spot at the stove.

     "Were the siblings just here?"

     "They were. Is it possible, for once, Magaris wasn't paying attention-"

     "Last I checked," she threw over her shoulder, snagging a salt shaker for her dish, "I'm the only one moving in the room while you're standing and chatting."

     "That's because I already finished putting up my spells."

     "And I'm taking a break after pulling another all-nighter cleaning up another one of Master's messes. You're aware she destroyed part of Saedli a few days ago, correct?"