The Caste Marked by Mariah Esterly

Author:Mariah Esterly [Esterly, Mariah]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Mariah Esterly
Published: 2017-03-30T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

SERRA

Mistress Vaneza’s hands tightened around Serra as she struggled to get free. Had she really gone through all that as a mouse, nearly dying twice, only to be caught now? Not if she had anything to say about it.

“Now look what you’ve done, Niva.” The mage cried. “You’ve frightened her. I warned you against that, didn’t I?” Serra froze. Mistress Vaneza had known that Serra was a shifter? How long had she known? Since they had approached the walls of her citadel? She had let Serra go through all this only to capture her now?

All of her friends’ warnings came back to her, especially Reks' warning about not knowing how people would react to the discovery of a shifter in their country. What did the mage plan to do with her?

“Peace, shifter, peace.” Mistress Vaneza’s hand stroked and soothed Serra, until she could not contain the purr of pleasure that the feline part of her felt. “There now. That’s better, isn’t it? I mean you no harm and neither does Niva, no matter what he might say.” Mistress Vaneza strolled across the room still cradling Serra and settled herself on one of the silk covered couches. She placed Serra on the couch next to her and removed her hands.

“You might consider shifting. Our conversation will go so much faster if I do not have to decipher what you are saying in cat tongue, which, incidentally, I can do.” Serra shook her head and mewed.

“Ah, you haven’t discovered how to shift your clothes yet have you? You must be a very new shifter indeed.” The mage waved a hand. A dressing screen appeared in the corner of the room. “You will find everything you need on the other side of that screen.” Serra did not move more than to cock her head. “Go on, shoo.” The mage flapped her hands in Serra’s direction.

At the sudden movement, Serra skittered off the couch and onto the floor. She slunk behind the dressing screen and began to shift into her normal self. Serra considered changing into someone else, anxious to not let this unknown mage know what she really looked like, but she decided against the idea. Mistress Vaneza would most likely recognize her disguise.

After shifting Serra dressed in a gown very similar to the Mage’s, only in a cornflower blue with silver trimming. The gown was complicated and took some maneuvering to get into, but she did eventually.

When she was once again dressed, Serra stepped from behind the screen and faced the mage.

Mistress Vaneza sighed. “You are lovely. I should see no reason at all for you to ever shift into anything other than your delightful self.” She motioned to a table in the center of the room which was laid out with an array of pastries, fruit and tea. “Please help yourself to some refreshment.”

Serra shook her head. “I’d rather not. My friends are expecting me.”

Mistress Vaneza’s mouth curved into a smile that was not entirely pleasant. “Ah, yes. Your… friends.” She moved to a large gilt mirror that hung on the wall and touched the glass gently.

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