When Maevus woke up, she bolted upright in a soft bed, staring wildly around at the room she was in. 

Sunlight glowed through a window to her left, gilding everything in soft gold. A desk sat in front of the window, just to the left of the bed. Across the room, there was a worn armchair beside a small table. The wall opposite the bed held a dresser and empty bookshelves. 

Another window was just above her bed, granting her a spectacular view of the city and the mountains toward the west.

She suddenly remembered where she was and slumped back into her pillows.

After his warning last night, Master Vraylor had led her up to the third floor of the guild and down a long hallway, stopping at the farthest door. With only a few words of explanation, he'd said the room was hers if she wanted it. 

Maevus had argued, saying she couldn't afford to pay for a room. To her shock, the master had waved off her worries, saying she could talk to him about it in the morning.

Exhaustion had made her take his offer, not to mention the fact that she didn't exactly have any other options.

Maevus sat up in the bed again and moved to where she was kneeling in front of the western window, staring out over the city. How exactly was she supposed to survive in this place? 

A small crackle of flame sparked into being in front of her, and she let out a soft laugh as Lox settled in her lap, his little triangular ears perked toward the city. He put his forepaws on the sill, spade-tipped tail twitching lazily against her stomach.

"What do you think?" she asked the dragon, who looked at her over his shoulder. The crimson quills along his back lifted, then lowered in the dragon equivalent of a shrug. She snorted. "Yeah. Me too."

A soft knock on her door had both of them jumping, Lox leaping from her lap to the floor. His carnelian wings flared, sparks snapping around the pearly talon protruding from the first joint of each. 

"Maevus?" The voice was high and sweet. And vaguely familiar. "It's Letya. We sort of met yesterday?"

Maevus stared blankly at the door for a moment, then peered down at Lox. His agitation melded with her blood and smoke curled on her tongue. Maevus blew out the mouthful of smoke, coughing as she gave the dragon a reprimanding look.

He only growled in response as she finally got off the bed, creeping forward. Lox flapped his wings and landed on her back, his claws latching into her shirt as he peered over her shoulder. Maevus opened the door to find the petite Encant staring down the hallway.

She was in a bright yellow sundress today. Her raven hair was up in a complicated twist, held in place by hairpins with dozens of tiny amber beads dripping from their tips, framing her pretty face with gold. They clinked together musically as she turned back to look up at Maevus.

Maevus was suddenly self-conscious of the threadbare, grey shirt she was wearing and her faded leather trousers—the only clothes she had at the moment. She ran a hand through her messy, red hair and opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off when Letya saw Lox.

She let out an excited squeal and pushed into the room, eyes glued on the little dragon. The fire-dragon let out a startled chuff, and launched off of Maevus to perch on a light fixture just above the bed. He hissed at Letya, then cocked his head, looking like an overgrown bat.

Maevus couldn't help the quiet giggle that escaped. Lox flicked an ear at her, slit-pupil, amber eyes locked on Letya, who looked a second away from combusting with glee.

"He's adorable!" she gushed. "He's one of your dragons, right? Savy said you had more than one. How many do you have? Can you really use their power for yourself? He's so pretty. What's his name? What kind of dragon is he?"

Maevus opened and closed her mouth, trying to answer at least one of the rapid fire questions. Lox had dropped down to the bed and sat back on his haunches, head cocked and wings folded as he stared at Letya. His eyes darted to Maevus, then back to the Light-Charmed Encant.

He didn't know what to make of her either.

Then, Letya stopped and shook her head, amber beads jingling merrily. "You're probably wondering what the heck I'm doing in here since we just met yesterday and it was only for like a second. And of course I just burst in like a lunatic." She let out an expansive sigh, sending a longing glance toward Lox before she turned toward Maevus. "So how'd you sleep?"

Maevus blinked rapidly, drowning in the girl's bubbly personality. "G-good?" she managed to stammer. "Um..."

Letya beamed at her. "Master Vraylor sent me." 

She let out an adorable giggle that set Maevus at ease against her will. The Light-Charmed Encant was simply too cute to be allowed. With great effort of will, she managed to frown.

"Vraylor sent you? Why?"

"Because even though he's the only one you know, Savy's not allowed up in the girl's dormitories." She giggled again, giving Maevus a wink. "Not that he really cares. And Master Vraylor says you would have a better time with me." She frowned, her petal-pink lips pursed in thought. "Which is true. Master's kind of a crank. At least until he gets his morning tea that is."

"Better...time?" Maevus repeated.

Letya shook her head and Lox's gaze zeroed in on the shiny beads falling from her hairpins. He crouched forward, claws kneading the comforter. Maevus moved to the bed and put a hand on his scaly head, giving him a warning glare.

He huffed out a curl of smoke, giving her an innocent look.

"A better time with me showing you around the guild and how everything works here," Letya explained with a beam. "He said you've never belonged to a guild before?"

Did the girl ever do anything but smile? Maevus' own lips twitched in response.

"I...I guess that would...be okay," Maevus said slowly. 

Letya let out a happy sigh, then gave her a begging glance. "Can I pet him?" she said wistfully. Then her sunstone eyes went wide. "Or her?"

It took Maevus a moment to realize that she was talking about Lox. She looked down at the little dragon, who just twitched an ear in response, his gaze locked on the swaying amber beads. 

"Um...he's Lox," Maevus started uncertainly. "And if he...let's you, I guess?"

"Hello Lox," Letya said politely, extending a hand toward him. 

Lox sniffed at her palm, blinking slowly at her. Then, to Maevus' complete surprise, the fire-dragon launched himself into Letya's arms. She caught the catlike dragon with a delighted yelp.

A half smile betrayed Maevus as she watched Lox bat a paw at the beads. A small laugh escaped her when, without a thought, the petite Encant tugged one of the pins from her hair. Half of the sable mass tumbled down her back as she used the pin as a makeshift toy for Lox, who chirred his delight, paws slapping wildly at the beads.

Curious, she followed Lox's thread down to the dragon's mind and found him basking in a glow of warmth that came naturally from Letya.

Well that makes sense. Light and fire go hand in hand.

Letya touched one of the beads to Lox's nose, making him sneeze. A plume of fire puffed from his mouth, making Letya start and drop him to the bed. 

Maevus tensed, ready for Letya's fear or her anger.

But it never came.

Instead, she let out a breathless laugh and wound her hair back into its clever knot, sliding the pin back into place. She grinned and asked, "Can he stay for the day too?" She grew suddenly serious. "Unless your magic can't—"

"He can stay as long as he wants," Maevus cut her off. Keeping one dragon around all day wasn't a problem for her strength, just as long as they didn't find themselves suddenly in a fight or something similarly taxing.

Letya bounced happily on her toes. "Then let's go downstairs! We'll get you both some breakfast and I can introduce you to the rest of the guild." She snickered. "Whoever's awake, at any rate."

Nerves jangled through her at the thought and she swallowed hard. Lox purred, butting his head against her elbow before he shrank to the size of a kitten.

His miniature wings flapped hard before he could settle onto her shoulder, claws pinning her shirt. He nuzzled her ear, and the nerves diminished.

Letya gestured for her to follow, and Maevus took a deep breath before venturing out into the day.