The Lost Mage (11 page)

Yeah, it’s nice having a box nearby, too. Hey? Can I come sleep in there with you? I did promise to keep you warm and all.

“Sure. Unless Nora says no, it’s fine with me.”

Coolio.

“Coolio? What’s that?”

Nothing. I mean, it’s not a thing, it means great.

“Oh.” Darakin took care of his business and the cat followed him back into the bedroom, climbing on his legs and making himself comfortable.

Nora rolled over, looked at the cat on Darakin’s legs and laughed.

“It’s okay?” Darakin asked, brushing her hair from her face.

“Yes, it’s fine. I mean he already made himself at home here earlier.”

“Coolio.”

Nora burst out laughing again. “Coolio?”

“Yes, great. I mean, good.”

“Where did you pick that one up from?”

“Mrowley.” He gave the cat a dirty look, but the feline was already in full catnap, with his head tucked upside down under a paw.

“Figures. It sounds kind of juvenile; you should just say ‘great’ in the future.”

“Okay.” Darakin wrapped a powerful arm around her and the two of them fell sound asleep.

Chapter Nine

As the sun was rising, Mrowley, having gotten up for some nocturnal prowling, padded softly back into the room. He jumped up on Nora’s side of the bed and dropped his prize on the sheet next to her face.

He then curled up next to her belly to await her reaction. After a few minutes, she still hadn’t awoken, so he pawed at her arm.

Darakin was sound asleep, dreaming of being on a sturdy ship, calling his precious winds to guide the ship in exchange for his passage, when he was awakened by a bloodcurdling scream.

“What? What’s wrong?” He jumped out of the bed and stood, ready to do battle. He looked at the small object on the bed. “What’s that?”

A mousie.

“It’s a mouse!” Nora was shrieking and scooting back from her side of the bed.

That’s what I said.

“It’s dead,” Nora said as she backed up against Darakin.

You’re welcome.

“Mrowley? Did you put a mouse in the bed with Nora?”

Of course! You don’t have to thank me, it was my pleasure.
The cat looked pleased with himself.

“Thank you? Why would I thank you for putting a dead rodent in her bed?”

The cat actually appeared confused.
Because that’s what I do. I kill mousies. I gave it to Nora as a thank you letting me … us stay here.

“Nora, I’m sorry, he says it’s to thank you for taking us in.”

“Ugh.” Nora pushed Darakin off the bed so she could stand on his side. She crept around the bed to look at the mouse again. She screeched and ran out of the room shouting, “Oh my God. I can’t believe I have mice.”

Not anymore!
Mrowley called after her.
Wow, there’s just no pleasing some people.
The cat licked a paw.

“Cat! You have to stop with this. You can’t put dead mice in people’s beds.”

But why not? Would you rather I leave them on the floor?

“No! No more dead mice.”

Okay, but don’t blame me when the place is overrun with live ones.

Darakin made a sound of frustration and went to the kitchen. He returned with a bag to put the carcass in.

Hey! That was my lunch.

“No. I will give you some of that canned cat food and you will eat it. Apparently, that’s what civilized cats do here.”

Humph. So-called civilized cats can’t mouse. Everyone knows that.
Mrowley made a grumbling noise and went back to his bath.

Darakin left the bedroom and found Nora in the kitchen biting her fingernail.

“I’m sorry, Nora. He didn’t mean to make you mad.”

“Ach, Darakin, I’m not mad at Mrowley. He’s just being a cat. But I’d rather not have dead things in my bed. Plus, it kind of freaks me out that I’ve had mice here and didn’t know it.”

“Well, Mrowley seems to think he took care of the problem, but don’t worry, I told him no more dead mice.”

“No more dead mice? Are you kidding me? Dead ones are better than live ones. Let him do his job.”

Told you.
The cat had come out from the bedroom to listen to the exchange.

“Hush, cat. Fine, keep hunting the mice, just don’t leave them in the bed, okay?”

Sure, sure. You only had to ask.

Darakin turned back to Nora. “Well, I’m sorry he woke you up.”

“It’s okay. I had to get up anyway. I have to do some laundry. What about you? Don’t you want to wash your clothes?”

Darakin flushed with embarrassment. “I’m afraid these are all I have. I’ll wash them, but I’ll be … less than clothed while I do it.”

“Really? You don’t have a change of clothing?”

“No. Remember, summoned here involuntarily? Didn’t have time to pack a bag.”

“Of course not. Well, you really need to wear something that looks more like you belong. Those make you look like something from a romance novel cover.”

“A what?”

“A romance novel.” Nora walked out to the living room and pulled a book from a shelf. She held it up for Darakin to see the cover art that portrayed a well-muscled man wearing black britches and a loose, laced white blouse.

Darakin looked at the novel and down at his clothes. “Hey, that looks like what I’m wearing.”

“That’s my point, sweetie. These novels are about people from the past. You need some jeans to make you look more modern. Let’s go shopping.”

“Nora, I have only a few of these dollars left and I still have to repay you for the tablecloth and the plant. I shouldn’t be making frivolous purchases.”

“You can pay me back eventually. And trust me, this isn’t frivolous, you need to do this.”

“Well, okay.”

“Come on, have some breakfast and then we’ll go buy you something to wear. That way we can wash your stuff.” She poured each of them a bowl of cereal and added some milk.

Darakin stared at the bowl in front of him. “What’s this?”

“Cereal. Now eat.”

“What’s it made of?”

“Oat grain. Surely you have grains and such in your realm.”

“Of course we do. But why is it shaped into circles?”

Nora laughs. “Remember those machines I told you about? Well, they make the cereal shaped like this. But it’s mostly just oats, so eat.”

Darakin took a spoonful and put it in his mouth. “Hey, thish ish pwetty good!”

“It’s not polite to speak with your mouth full.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I’m glad you like it. What did you usually have for breakfast back home?”

“Bread. Maybe some butter, if there was any available. And tea, of course.”

“Well, these cereals are good for a quick meal when you’re in a hurry.”

“Oh.” After a brief pause, Darakin continued. “So, we’re going to the tailor?”

“No, not the tailor. Just a retail shop to buy jeans. Those are pants made of denim by machines.”

“Oh.”

The two finished breakfast in silence.

Mrowley sat on one of the vacant chairs, sniffing the air with envy.

“What’s his problem?” Nora indicated the cat with a nod of her head.

Well, you know, the two of you are there eating cereal and I have no mousie or milk or anything.

“I gave you cat food,” Darakin said in frustration.

Yeah, but I smell dairy over here and you know how much scoring some milk means to me.

“He wants to score some milk.”

“Score? Where do you … where does he get these expressions from?”

What can I say? I’m a cool cat. You know, just sitting here, chilling.

“I think he’s cold.”

Not cold, dude. Cool.

“Sorry, not cold but cool.”

“Ah. Cool means trendy, sort of. He’s saying that he’s up on the latest styles … language-wise anyway.”

“Oh.”

Nora stood and cleared away the cereal bowls. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

“What show?” Darakin looked confused.

Nora laughed. “It’s just an expression we use. It means let’s get going.”

“Ah.”