Irula's Apprentice (Tales from the Veldt Book 2) by Donald Jacob Uitvlugt

Author:Donald Jacob Uitvlugt
Language: eng
Format: mobi, azw3, epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-09-15T06:00:00+00:00

Night found the lion and lioness in more or less the same location, though they now lounged against each other. Liara did not know if she had ever been happier in her life. She closed her eyes and listened to Niko’s slow breathing, smiling at his occasional purrs. She felt long, gentle fingers rub near her ears, and she began to purr as well.

Niko’s breathing hesitated, and Liara felt his tongue run along the edge of her ear. “I have something to show you, beautiful one....” She felt rather than heard the whispered words, and a chill of anticipation went up her spine.

The lion pulled away, and Liara opened her eyes. A swarm of fireflies danced over the goats’ watering hole, a slow, green swirl of ever-changing constellations. Liara suddenly blinked and sat up. She studied the lights harder, sniffed the air, and then turned to Niko.

There was a look of intense concentration on the young male’s face. The tips of his fingers flicked in time with the flickers of the green lights. He spun a finger in a slow circle and the lights clustered around the lounging pair. Close enough for Liara to see that no insect caused them. A single green spot tickled her nose. The light was cold rather than warm. Harmless. Liara felt her lungs release the breath she had been holding in without realizing it.

This? This was the male magic they feared so? A few spots of light? Liara embraced Niko, the young male losing his concentration entirely as the lioness kissed him. The green lights winked out. “I love you....”

The lion returned her kiss and the night closed around them.

The couple awoke the next day to the sound of figures moving through the grasses near the pastureland. Liara blinked in the strong light; the sun was already high above the horizon. She felt Niko sit up beside her, touch her shoulder.

“We know you are there, cub. I can smell your magic. You might as well come out.” Liara shivered. Never had Lady Irula’s voice sounded so cold to her. So distant.

Niko looked at Liara, gave her a deep kiss, rubbed cheeks with her and then stood up. “I am here.”

Liara heard breaths catch. Three, no four individuals. Irula, Lady Adaal, no doubt, and two others from Ulani’s Pride. They were upwind, which was why Liara hadn’t scented them until now.

Irula was speaking again. “You know that we bear you no ill will personally. But you know our ways. You know the stories. A male magic-user must die.”

“But I am hardly a magic-user. I can only make a few spots of light, with no heat. This ability came to me a few months ago, and likely as not will fade away just as quickly. You need not do this.” The words were hurried, as if Niko had rehearsed them for some time and was worried about forgetting them.

“It is not what you are, cub, but what you might become. This world almost broke apart because of Baaltor.

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