Melody laughed. “What on earth could you have done about it? If you’d tried to interrupt my time with Mrs Hardinger, Toby would have had you for dinner!”
Dean was silent beside her, and she wondered if she had offended him. Just as she opened her mouth to apologise, however, he spoke.
“Well, if it’s driving me crazy, then I shift and go and sit outside the room. Toby’s there, he lets me, says I’m not the only one. The room’s warded, don’t worry, so I can’t hear what you’re saying. But I can hear your voice, and I can smell your scent, and that's enough.”
She didn’t know what to say. That was so sweet, and sad and just … She could feel tears burning in her eyes, so she rolled over and gently moved forward until her head was on his chest. He took a deep breath in, and then his arm gently came around her shoulders. It stung a little, but it wouldn’t be enough to keep her awake. She snuggled into him a bit more, and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply. Moments later, there was a rumbling sound that came from his chest.
“Are you purring?” she asked, incredulous.
“No, but my lion is,” he told her, chuckling.
“Big cats can’t purr,” Melody commented. “They’ve got cartilage that allows them to roar instead.”
Dean huffed a laugh. “Don’t tell me,” he chuckled. “Tell the big bozo. He shouldn’t be able to do it, it shouldn’t be possible, but my whole body starts vibrating once he gets going.”
She laughed. “So, does he do it in your shifted form too? Or only while you’re human?”
Dean was silent for a beat, then he started swearing. “The bastard. It’s only while we’re human. Which makes a kind of demented sense. He literally can’t do it himself, so he makes me do it instead.”
Melody smiled in the darkness. She bet he could feel it against his skin. He wasn’t wearing a shirt — again.
Lying there together, talking and laughing — it was nice. It was gentle, considerate, and very comforting. She knew that here in Dean’s arms, she was safe.
Melody also knew that she always would be.
15. Melody
The news, when it finally came the following morning, was surprising.
Melody had been summoned to attend Mrs Hardinger after breakfast. When she arrived at the counsellor’s office, the provost was there with a frown on her face, although she smiled in welcome.
“Melody, I needed to meet with you urgently, and this seemed to be the best way to go about it, I’m sorry for the drama. Now, you have two letters here, I think we need to read them both first before we commence any discussions,” the provost explained, handing the letters over to Melody.
She looked at them both. One was in a fancy looking envelope, the paper soft and rough. It looked like it had a high rag content. The address was done in perfect copperplate calligraphy with gold ink. The other was a plain business sized envelope with her name and address hastily scrawled on the front in her aunt’s handwriting.
It was best to pull off the bandaid, so she opened her aunt’s letter first.
Melody,
I hear that you have gained another alpha shifter, but that you botched the first attempt. I hope that you are now well aware of how embarrassing that was for us and that you are more considerate of our reputation when you act.
I have some business out west this month, so I shall endeavour to visit you at the college to meet your shifters. They can give their oaths of fealty to me then, seeing you did not bring them here during your holidays. These things must not be allowed to lapse. Expect me on the fifteenth.
Georgia Bestia
Coven Mistress
Melody looked up at Mrs Hardinger. “What’s the date, please?” she asked.
“It’s the thirteenth,” answered the counsellor.
Melody felt the blood drain from her face. She hoped that the second letter bore good news, because she needed a way out of this. Her aunt would be here in forty-eight hours, and while Dean was safe from pledging his fealty, because he had given it to her without her asking, Asher was not protected. If her aunt had him swear fealty to the coven, or worse, to her person, then it was likely that she would insist on him travelling back with her to the compound.
They effectively had two days to save Asher’s life!
Melody passed the letter to the provost, while she tried to open the second one with shaking hands.
“Here, child, before you rip the thing in two,” snapped Mrs Hardinger, passing her a letter opener. It seemed that Melody was not the only one who was tense right then.
Dear Melody,
Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Andrea Krause, Mistress of Coven Fulgur. Recently, one of our members, Professor Ludwig, had the pleasure of teaching at your college. She came home telling us of a wonderful young witch who showed great potential in curse breaking. She enjoined me to consider offering you a place in our coven.
I understand that you are from Bestia, and that you are indeed an exceptional beast tamer having earned an alpha familiar in your first term. Congratulations on such a marvellous achievement!
Our coven specialises in elemental magic, and lightening is our strongest and most common element. We have no beast tamers at present, and we wish to expand our portfolio of skills. To that end, we wish to extend to you an invitation to join Coven Fulgur. We have many young male witches around your age, all of whom would be made available to you for your consideration as a mate. We do not force our young into arranged relationships, but it is hoped that you would find a suitable mate amongst us.
Professor Ludwig was most effusive in her praise of you, and we would be pleased if several representatives of our coven could come
