<< MYRIELLE KLEINFELD >>

Myrielle sips tea while looking outside the window of their assigned chamber.

"How's the tea?" Finn asks as he hovers around her.

Instead of answering, she says, "The elders should stop putting Fon on edge. They are just making her life unbearable when there's no need to be. All she ever wanted is to provide food and shelter for her huge family."

"Is that the reason she wants to become a Great Witch?"

Myrielle nods while she massages her temple. "I think so. Being one of the Greats means huge housing will be provided to her. That way, there's no need for her family to be given to different houses and families. You know how aberrant orphanage works."

"The term is adopted, not given," he corrects. He sits beside her and pours himself a cup of tea. "Is that what your research says about her?"

She nods. Her eyes are on him as he silently sips the tea that he prepared. He is excited about brewing it and pairing it up with biscuits. Up till now, she still can't understand his need to serve her. Maybe that's why they work so well together. She can't be bothered with those things, and Finn is... too homely and nurturing. A perfect match for her, else her health had given out with the way she travels before meeting Finn.

Myrielle takes a piece of biscuit from the bowl. Her family is the one responsible for researching the Great Search candidates. They already suspected Prim's plans, but when they reported it to the Council, they turned a deaf ear. The Council reasoned out that the Jaxon clan is an honorable family, and it won't be a good idea to accuse them of something impossible. Thankfully, the entire Kleinfeld clan helped her, and Philomena was very willing to provide support as well.

"How were the biscuits with the tea?" Finn asks.

There is delight on his face. He looks very happy doing these things. When she met him in the farmlands, he was a scowling man and a bit suicidal. He had no family and yet, he continues to work the land that isn't his in the first place.

"It's perfect," she answers.

It tastes really good, but not perfect. Yet, she finds it to be her role to make him happy with these simple things. Serving her without pay has been too much already, so she never lacks in her praises for him.

"Oh! You are just making me embarrassed!" he beams. "I did the cookies, by the way."

"Oh, that's why it's different, but in a good way. Don't let others taste this, they might hire you as their personal baker."

His grin widens. He takes her hands and places more on them. "There you go, eat more. I can just make more later."

"Finn, I can't eat all of this in one go."

"Oh, right! You need to watch your weight."

She rolls her eyes at him.

"Just kidding," he adds and lightly pinches her cheeks. It was quick and then, he's off to take care of something again, probably to take care of the dishes.

Myrielle looks outside the window again and encloses the cup of tea in her hands. Finn had been telling her to put trust in Fon's heart and upbringing. Yet, she can't help but doubt it. If a human–witch or aberrant–loses something really important, corruption starts. It almost happened to her, if not for her family and meeting Finn.

Finn places a plate of cake on the table. "What is this?" she asks. "Don't tell me you did them too?"

"Well, this academy has been very generous to me," he leans closer and whispers, "especially the kitchen staff. They give me lots of leftover ingredients."

"Ha! So, we need to leave soon, or else we will be doing lots of exercise in the coming weeks."

He shrugs his shoulders. "A single mission can take off all the extra fat you have. This is just the most lax we've had in a while."

"Ah, so I am becoming fat."

"I am the one feeding you, so I know how much you are eating lately."

She scowls. "That's only because you sulk every time I don't eat everything!"

Finn laughs. "Yes, my dear Myr," he responds. "Want more tea?"

"Yes, please," she answers.

"Homes of aberrant orphanages are normally warm," he explains while pouring her tea. "If you are afraid of Fon going dark, then we must protect the remaining thing she holds dear."

A knock comes on the door. "I will get it," he volunteers and places the teapot back on the table.

She watches Finn stride towards the door. When he opens it, she knows it's Fon based on her frustrated grunts. She glances at the two. Finn is huge and so he covers Fon with his frame.

"What's up?" Finn asks. He is as good-natured as he is when welcoming visitors. Sometimes, it's frustrating because the first time she met him, he snapped at her.

"Stop pretending, you miserable, lying adult. I know you are not an aberrant," Fon hisses.

Myrielle sips her cup of tea again. At least Fon gets it right. Finn might seem like an aberrant, but something is lying dormant within him. The reason he was so serious and strait-laced when she met him.

"I can't use magick," he says.

She feels bad for Fon. Finn will just talk his way out of her questions.

"Utente and Seraphim. Did it jog your memory now?" Fon hisses.

Seraphim is the creature lying dormant within him. Finn had always been afraid that he would escape, but now, she is glad Finn seems happy. But she wonders where Fon hears the name. Is it from the restricted area of the library?

"About what?"

"Those jerk wizards!"

Did she also find out that Seraphim is the strongest wizard that ever lived? A wizard who is stronger than the brilliant witches of his time. Seraphim was a charming and good leader. But he became brutal and eccentric near the end of his life.

"Are you talking about Ayin?"

"Why are you including him in this conversation?!"

"Ah, right! For you, he is a weak wizard. But in all honesty, he can be a great replacement for the Great Wizard of the North. Why not marry him instead?"

"Ayin doesn't have the leadership skill befitting of a Great Wizard!"

"Theofolso doesn't have leadership skills either."

Myrielle can picture Fon's furious expression at Finn. But somehow, Finn is right. If Fon marries Ayin, then it will be the perfect setup for the North. Is that what Theofolso is planning? Besides, she heard that Theofolso started to become interested in Ayin Repulse.

"Then, too bad for the North if Ayin becomes their Great Wizard!"

"Not really. If you marry either Theofolso or Ayin, the North will be in great hands."

"Now, you are patronizing me."

Myrielle can even hear the suspicion in Fon's voice.

"Too bad. Ayin is smitten with you. But that may be because Theofolso told him that there is a chance you will marry him?"

"I won't marry that thing!" she screams and suddenly, her magick activates.

She takes the teapot and her cup of tea off the table before Finn's huge body smashes against it. She meets Fon's eyes. As expected, she is fuming in anger. Myrielle makes a small smile. So, Fon can lose her cool too. Instead of a response, she stomps out of sight.

Finn, on the other hand, scratches his back. She kneels before him while sipping on the tea. "I thought we were going to protect what she deems precious? You just made her angry."

He grins before saying, "You saved the tea! How are the biscuits and cakes?"

"Tea is more important," she answers.

Finn grunts in pain as he stands up. "I think I need to visit the infirmary."

"You should," she answers. "Just meet me on the grounds. I will start with writing the symbols, as Philomena requested."