Zachary felt his soul returning to consciousness. The bed was soft and warm. Sunlight peeked through the heavy drapes but the room was still dark. He was lying on his back with a bundle of warmth snuggled against his side.

He smiled at the familiar presence. He didn’t know when she had come back or when she had sneaked into bed without his knowing. He pulled her to him and kissed her cheeks. Her eyelashes fluttered at his touch. Her lips twitched as if she was reluctant to return to the world of the living. So, he kissed her properly as a morning greeting.

She let out a soft squeal of complaint like a kitten. It only made her more endearing. He held her tight and kissed her until she was fully awake.

“Zach.” She said in a low, breathy voice.

“Minah.” He greeted his beautiful companion.

They tumbled in bed until she ended up on top. She straddled his waist and he was sure she could feel his arousal. He could feel hers too, a sweltering heat between her legs. Nothing else needed to be said.

Sounds of passion soon filled the room. Her moans turned into desperate cries. His groans grew louder as his breaths turned ragged. The bed squeaked rhythmically underneath their writhing bodies.

He lost himself inside her. Their bodies were connected and he could feel that their souls were as well. Minah Yoon, he loved her so much and he professed it to her over and over, until they were both utterly spent.

Minah was the first one to finally get up from the bed. She took a shower and got dressed. “Don’t forget the meeting with my father today,”

“Yeah, I won’t. I will head there after my last class.” Zachary replied.

They were both first-year students at James Calum University in the city of New Calum. It was one of the best universities in the Republic of Adorin. Many graduates went on to become famous summoners who could shake the world and leave their names behind in the history books.

“Alright, I’m going,” Minah said.

They shared a quick kiss and she was gone, off to her first class for the day. When he heard the door shut, he let out a long sigh. He lay back on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

They had known each other for close to ten years and they had been friends for almost as long. Both of their mothers always said that they would end up together and they were right. It became an even more perfect match when they were accepted to James Calum University together. However, he never expected that he would find out the truth about her after arriving at New Calum.

Minah Yoon... she was actually a member of the Yoon Family, the same Yoon Clan that controlled half of the Yoon-Cromwell Corporation. It was a powerful business conglomerate that held a substantial market share in the sale of summons. Their specialty was rare and unique summons captured in the New World or developed through research.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

A large furball landed on the bed with a gust of wind and pounced on his stomach.

“Ey! Stop, haha!”

“Yao, yao, yao!”

The ferocious beast made happy noises while nibbling on him as if he was a tasty treat.

“Yaoyao, are you hungry?” Zachary said eventually, lifting the overgrown cat to look at it.

Her white and black patterned face glared at him. He laughed and got up to make her breakfast. Yaoyao flapped her furry wings and followed behind him.

Her meal was a whole piece of tri-horn ox steak, fresh from the butcher yesterday. It was many times the price of his own modest meal of tea and a piece of buttered toast. He didn’t mind it as he would never be where he was today without Yaoyao. Therefore, she deserved the best he could provide.

“Yaoyao, I’m thinking of asking Minah to marry me. What do you think?”

Yaoyao looked up from her steak and meowed.

“I’m not moving too fast,” He complained, “We’re both almost twenty, a lot of people get married at our age.”

She responded with a few more cries before stuffing her face with steak once more.

“Fine, you were right. She was hiding her background and connection to the Yoon Clan. But that’s exactly why I want to ask her, if she’s willing to marry me, then it means that it wasn’t intentional.”

Yaoyao ignored him until she finished. She licked the plate clean and cleaned herself. She then turned into a streak of light and returned to his soul space for a nap as she usually did.

Zachary washed the dishes and tidied up his small apartment. He made sure all the books and notes he needed for the day were in his bag. He then rushed downstairs to head to school.

The morning rush had abated but it was still quite crowded. A variety of large Ensouled stomped by, pulling private carriages or trollies that could dozens of people. Others rode their summons, displaying their wealth as well as whatever fancy Ensouled they owned.

Zachary waited at a trolly stop until one finally came around. It was pulled by a ferocious four-legged beast known as a dust-scaled saurian. It was almost as big as the trolly itself. Its yellow hide was crusted like a dried lake, giving it an earthy appearance.

He paid his fare of a few coins and boarded the trolly. He stood by the window and watched as the city slowly passed by. His apartment building was on the outskirts. It was only three stories tall and he had gotten a good deal on the rent due to his status as a student at James Calum University.

The university was located close to the center. As he got closer, the buildings rose dramatically in height, with many reaching over thirty or forty stories tall. Occasionally, he could see flying Ensouled soar between the structures while a few man-made airships floated even higher above.

This was New Calum, a jewel of the Republic of Adorin on the eastern coast. It was so different from his hometown. It was bustling, full of wealth and industry. There were so many powerful summoners that the adept rank wasn’t worth a fart. And one of the existences that stood above it all was the Yoon Clan.

He knew almost nothing about them and he knew even less about Minah’s father who he had never met. Back in Warton, she was raised by a single mother. He didn’t even know that she had a father until a few months ago.

“Why do you care about her father? Minah is already your mate.” Yaoyao spoke from within his soul.

“I’ve already told you! It’s different for humans! Mating is one thing but marriage is way more important!” He replied to her with his thoughts.

She made a sound like a laugh, “Humans are so strange. So many rules. Why are you so worried? She obviously enjoys it when she mates with you. Isn’t that what matters?”

“You…”

She laughed, “Whatever, I’m sure you’ll figure it out. I’m going back to sleep. Wake me up when class starts.”