I shuffled up the path and back into the city proper where I was glad for the four legs. They meant faster travel back to Dadan’s palace where my dry and comfortable pillow awaited me. I slunk through the vast gardens and into the house, but a figure at the end of the hall made me freeze.

Dadan sat on the platform atop his cushioned seat. The lord held his flute in hand and his eyes stared at it, but I could see they were unfocused. Something was distracting him.

I backtracked and made for the gardens on the left side. A quick peak inside told me Dadan hadn’t lifted his gaze from the flute. I stood up straight and trotted into the house as though I’d just been basking in the sun.

Dadan didn’t look up as I hopped onto the platform and slithered my way onto the spot on the cushion in front of him. I lay myself down, making sure to tuck my paws underneath me in as cute a fashion as possible.

“Was it just a dream?” Dadan’s soft words made me look up. His intense eyes fell on my forehead. I tried not to shrink beneath it. “Or did you bewitch me this night?”

Do something other than sit there! I shouted at myself. I rolled my eyes away from him and set my head on the cushion. It’s not easy trying to look innocent when you’re a cat. They just have a guilty aura about them and it didn’t help that in my case the guilt was true.

Dadan lifted the flute to his lips and closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath and blew. The wonderful music I’d heard played that day in the hall floated out in all its haunting and beautiful glory. The shimmering translucent butterflies floated out of the melodic air and danced around us. One of them danced past my nose.

My feline instincts kicked in and I jumped to my feet. I lunged at one butterfly after another, passing through them and being touched by a gentle warmth from their luminous bodies. Their stardust floated down and covered me in shining glitter before the lights faded away.

I was sorry when the last note faded and the butterflies vanished. Dadan lowered his flute into his lap and studied me with a faint smile. I turned to him and lifted my tail high before giving him a loud ‘meow.’ He stroked my back and I offered him a loud purr. I was rewarded with a wider smile and his brilliant twinkling eyes.

A faint sound came from one of the side rooms and Puren shuffled out of his bedroom. He rubbed one of his bleary eyes with a fisted hand as he shambled up to the platform. “My Lord, is something the matter?”

I was sorely disappointed when Dadan stopped petting me and set the flute on the table. “I could not sleep.”

Puren dropped his hand and stood at attention. “Did you wish for some tea, My Lord?”

“And some milk for the cat,” Dadan added.

The servant bowed his head and hurried off to obey.

I lifted my head and studied the quiet lord. He stared down at the flute, his eyes slightly wide and with that faraway look in them. I pawed at his arm. “Meow?”

He turned those absent eyes on me. I swore there was moisture in the deepest of their depths, but he blinked and the look vanished. He stroked my back and cocked his head to one side. “I wonder if perhaps you are not descended from her.”

I followed his example and tilted my head. Descended from who? I wondered.

My question would remain unanswered as Puren returned with a fresh batch of tea and a saucer of milk. He set the tray down and separated my milk to lay it in front of me before stepping back. “Will you be needing anything else, My Lord?”

Dadan poured out some tea and grasped the cup in front of him. The steam floated around him like mist. “Summon Lady Miansha.”

Puren knitted his eyebrows together. “At this hour, My Lord? Why do you wish to see her?” Dadan lifted his eyes to his servant who blanched and bowed his head. “I will do so at once, My Lord.” He scurried off to obey.

I ignored the sweet scent of milk and pawed at his bent leg. He paused mid-drink with the teacup pressed against his lips and drew the glass away to look down at me. “I wish to learn something.”

Dadan drew the glass to his lips again but his hand shook a little. The lord dropped his arm so quickly that some of the tea spilled onto the table. His face turned ghastly pale and he shut his eyes. He scrunched his face as if in pain.

My heart skipped a beat and I pranced to and fro on my front legs. “Meowr! Meowr!”

Dadan took a deep, heavy breath and slowly opened his eyes. He turned his shaking hand over to examine the palm. His pursed lips did nothing to calm my frantic fear. “There is no need to worry.”

I set my front paws on his leg and shook my head. “Meowr!”

He clasped his shaking hand shut while he used the other one to stroke my back. “I will be fine.” I rubbed my cheek against his leg, as much to comfort him as me. A faint smile touched his lips. “You have a way with you, cat. If only we had met under better circumstances.”

My ears perked up and my heart fluttered again. What circumstances? Why are you making it sound like you’re dying? I shrieked in my head.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Of course, he wouldn’t answer my thumping heart any more than I could change back into a human. I consoled myself by snuggling up against him and laying my head on his leg. We lay there in silence for several minutes until the quiet was broken by a loud discussion outside.

“This had better be good!” a woman’s voice screeched.

“Not so loud, I beg of you, Lady Miansha!” Puren pleaded with her. “It is late and many are asleep.”

“And so was I until you woke me up!” the woman countered.

Lady Miansha made her appearance in the doorway and marched up the hall toward us. She was a few inches above five foot and sported brown shimmering hair that was currently disheveled and bent at all angles. Her white sleeping robe trailed behind her like a cloak and was only partially closed in the front, revealing her bright pink nightdress.

Puren scurried beside her, his face a picture of apology and embarrassment. “My sincerest apologies-”

“You already gave those! I want something from your master now!” Lady Miansha snapped.

Dadan sat up as she reached the platform. “Good evening, Lady Miansha.”

The woman stomped her foot. “Evening? It’s barely past midnight! Why ever have you called me here at this hour?”

Dadan’s eyes flickered to Puren. “You may leave us.”

The servant pursed his lips but bowed his head and exited the room. Miansha cast a suspicious look at Puren’s departure and returned her attention to Dadan with a curious glint in the depths of her eyes. “What is this about, Lord Eastwei?”

“As the preeminent alchemist among the heavens I wish for you to create a potion for me,” Dadan told her.

She folded her arms over her chest and arched an eyebrow. “What sort of potion?”

“A mending potion.”

She looked him up and down. “Who is it for?”

A faint smile appeared on his lips. “For me.”

Lady Miansha’s eyes widened and her mouth fell open. She pointed a shaking finger at him. “You, Lord Eastwei? The former emperor of everything below the sun requires my mending potion?”

“Yes.”

She took a step closer and scrutinized his person. “Is this some ill-timed joke of yours, Lord Eastwei? Because if it is-”

“It is no jest.” Eastwei raised a hand with the palm turned upward.

His magic flowed out and shaped itself into a glistening red crystal. The gem floated above his palm and slowly turned. The shifting lights couldn’t hide the gaps and cracks in the gem.

Lady Miansha clapped a hand over her mouth and her eyes bulged out of her head. “In all the realms! What have you done to your crystal?”

Dadan closed his hand and the magic vanished. “You are to tell no one of this. Do you understand?”

Her ladyship removed her hand from her mouth and revealed a frown. “Does His Majesty know about this?”

“He does.”

My heart pounded in my chest. There was something wrong here. Deathly wrong. My naive mind couldn’t wrap around the details but I could guess that crystal wasn’t supposed to look like Swiss cheese.

Miansha drew her hands against her chest and furrowed her brow. “I can craft a mending potion for you but it will not last. Not with that level of decay.”

“That will work,” Dadan replied.

No, it won’t work! You have to fix that thing! I shouted as I sat up and pawed at his leg.

My sudden movement caught the attention of Miansha. She cocked her head to one side and blinked at me. “Is that a cat?”

“I will need a steady supply of the potion,” Dadan told her, ignoring her question and me.

She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “You know as well as anyone the mending potion deteriorates quite quickly. I can give you a month’s worth of energy in a single draught but any more will spoil before you need to take it again.” She twined her fingers together and cast a sharp look at him. “And there are the consequences of drinking too much.”

“I am well aware of them,” Dadan answered. “When can you send the first draught?”

She shrugged. “Later today if you wish.”

“Then I will see you later.”

Miansha’s shoulders drooped and she wrinkled her nose. “A nice thank-you that is.” She turned and marched down the hall. “Getting me up at all hours and then showing me that! What is the world coming to?”

I wasn’t finished with my frantic pawing. Dadan clapped a hand over my head and stared into my eyes. I cowed at the sharp, heavy look in them. “Stop that. I will be fine.”

I shook my head despite his heavy hand. No, there’s something wrong here! You’re not telling me something!

Dadan lifted me off his lap and stood. “I must rest. You remain here.” I yowled and slouched with my head slightly bowed. He paused halfway around the table and a faint smile slipped onto his lips. “Do you prefer my bed to the cushion?”

I shot up straight and bobbed my head.

His eyes twinkled. “What a pity. You will remain here.”

My jaw hit the floor as he sauntered into his room without so much as a glance at me.