Since Esmera was abandoned on a stranger's doorstep as a baby, the only person who has looked out for her is herself.
Until a lark starts visiting her, leaving behind exotic flowers and iridescent pebbles that the internet doesn't recognise.
Esmera...
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Esmera blinked. Her first thought was that she must've heard Tauram incorrectly, but she had never misheard anything in her entire life.
He had said what she thought he had, that the lark's gifts were his unspoken requests to be her familiar.
Tauram's intense, almost curious gaze overwhelmed Esmera. As if the thoughts spinning through her mind weren't enough to do that.
Esmera turned her gaze downward, to the flames, because they made sense.
Forget about a bird asking her to marry him being ludicrous. This was more so, like a fever dream.
Esmera closed her eyes and pinched herself to make sure it wasn't.
The pain was sharper than it should've been in a dream, but perception couldn't be trusted in those fuzzy, fluid realms.
Esmera gave the pain a few seconds to pass. She opened her eyes to the same room, where she stood in front of the same man with the same question on her mind.
A familiar? Esmera had only ever read the word in a book a fellow orphan slipped into her hands as they were being led to bed after dinner. It brought to mind images of witches with pointed hats and cats stirring cauldrons, tales best read under the covers on a moonlit night.
But what if familiars in Milatanur weren't what she thought they were? Esmera knew too little about the place to assume anything about it.
She turned to see Tauram still watching her. He traced ovals on his armrest with a long, elegant finger. The smile tugging at the corners of his lips told Esmera he was expecting some sort of reaction, but she wouldn't give it to him. She would stay calm even though she was one shocking revelation away from freaking out.
"What's a familiar?" Esmera's voice was steadier than she had expected it would be.
If there was anything her marriage had taught her, it was how to mask her feelings with her voice.
Tauram reached a hand down to stroke Lundas's round, black-rimmed ears. "Familiars are spirits bound to a specific person. They take animal form the moment their person is born. When they are united with us, they become our constant companions. They can also help us with anything."
"Anything?" As hard as Esmera fought against it, some of her incredulity leaked into her voice.
"Anything. Magic, house cleaning, you name it."
Lundas gave a contented purr.
Esmera studied him. For being so antisocial, he was extremely loyal to Tauram.
"So Lundas is your familiar?" Esmera brought her eyes back to Tauram.
"Unfortunately, yes."
The large cat hissed and swiped a paw at Tauram's legs.
