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It takes my brain a moment to process, but when it does, I let out a small shriek of excitement. We are officially bonded.
Phi is my familiar, and I am her witch.
The raven, too, seems affected by the bond. Her once dull, shaggy feathers shimmer with an iridescent blue gleam, reflecting the magic that courses through both of us. It fills me with a jolt of pure energy. Phi spreads her wings and raises her beak for a triumphant call.
The raven’s caw, once filled with mystery, now holds a note of determination and loyalty. And, I realize with giddy excitement, I understand her.
Let’s kick some ass, Josie, she says into my mind.
“No need to translate that one, Rune,” I shout into the crowd, turning my attention back to the slinging of spells that have resumed around me.
Connected to Phi with an influx of power and clarity, I feel almost unstoppable. As spells whizz by, my newfound abilities allow me to dodge attacks with uncanny speed and counter with spells of my own.
Phi’s magic blends seamlessly with mine.
This is freakin’ awesome.
I haven’t shown you anything yet!
She’s right—when I let the bubble shield drop and the two of us rejoin the raging battleground as one, Phi and I not only hold our own, but kick some major witch ass.
Forging a familiar bond has transformed my performance in this trial and made me a force. It’s like I’ve downloaded years of skill and practice.
I’m not the only one who notices the shift, either. The skeptical gazes from the spectating witches have been replaced by ones of awe and reverence. Usually, being at the center of attention gives me the urge to curl into a ball and disappear.
Here and now, it fills me with pride—like maybe I can prove myself and earn a place in the coven. Together, Phi and I could even conquer the next two high priestess trials.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, kid. It’s been a while since my last fight—I’m a little stiff.
Right. Phi’s voice in my head brings me back into the moment. We need to make it through this trial first. I don’t have any doubt now that we will.
Connected with our familiar bond, relaying information is seamless and instantaneous.
I skirt around the broken remains of the fountain to keep a low profile. Phi flies above, keeping an eye out for our next opponent.
It’s getting down to the last few of us now, and tactics are changing.
Josie!
Phi’s screech is suddenly cut off, and when I whirl and turn my face skyward, I find my familiar frozen in midair, just hanging there like someone pressed pause on her flight. My heart sinks at the thought of losing her just minutes after finding her.
I’m okay, she says—thank Gaia for that—but her voice sounds strained somehow, like it’s some great struggle.
What’s going on then? I project my thoughts at her as hard as I can and hope it gets through whatever spell she’s trapped in.
The low hum of constant, monotone mumbling clues me in too late. Someone’s caught Phi—and now me—in a petrification enchantment.
I fight against the hold the unseen witch has on me, but it’s no good. Every part of my body feels like it’s encased in lead. I can’t even get my pinky toe to wiggle.
Okay, a different tactic then.
I pinpoint the source of the noise and squint at the rippling fountain, squinting harder when colors start rippling as well.
Am I seeing things? No—the longer I watch from my frozen, crouched position, a witch with golden hair shimmers into view in front of me.
Her image shifts slowly from a ghostly translucence to a solid figure. Sitting under the splashing water has made her makeup run, smearing black around her eyes in a way that reminds me of Avril Lavigne circa the early 2000s.
Fake Avril’s mouth moves constantly as she casts, and I try desperately to think of a way to break her concentration. She glides slim fingers along the pale skin of her thigh through the long slit in her dress.
