Chương 4: Episode Two Hundred and Forty-Eight: Lorestone

"Lorestone, are you okay?" I asked again, with a little more panic in my voice. He'd traveled inside my backpack across several portals, plus before that been literally thrown out of the shop. Even more, right before that he'd tried to read the book from the Fates. The granite hunk of rock appeared to be the same as it always had been. The rough carving of a small dragon sitting snuggled up next to an impression of a larger dragon was still there, the same.

All the detail was on the small dragon, the other was only impressions. The Cat stepped closer, sniffing as his whiskers twitched. His tail snapped around behind him in the air. Something rippled near the little dragon's face, drawing all of my attention.

"Lorestone?" I asked again, this time keeping my voice soft, praying I didn't break him. Worried I had, I was already wondering how to fix him.

"Lady Sable…" he whispered, and the mouth on the small dragon moved. I swallowed hard as his voice trailed off.

"I think I can see." An eyelid moved. Not just moved, blinked.

"Sable," said the Cat in a very low voice, suddenly right next to my elbow on the counter.

"This isn't… possible."

"You actually are a cat," said Lorestone, this time his voice a little bigger than before.

"A Feylord shaped like a cat… I thought Sable had only named you Cat since your name is a little complex." The Cat inched closer and sniffed again, completely ignoring Lorestone's words.

"The rock smells like Them, and your magic. The dragon scent still lingers, but it's been twisted." He meant the Fates. That made sense. Kind of.

"Do you feel okay, Lorestone?" I asked, trying not to think too hard about whatever the Fates had done to him.

"I shouldn't feel anything, I'm a rock," he said, then blinked again, his voice rising bit by bit toward panic.

"A repository of knowledge, pledged to Lady Sable's pursuits… and now I can see…"

"It's okay…" I said, not knowing how to comfort the statue.

"I shouldn't be able to see!" I swallowed hard.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Bright light, and whispers of words everywhere…" his words trembled.

"Echoes of memories, places and people that grew dark followed by glimmers of light returning. Areas once dark, brightening. A completeness…" The Cat pulled back and sat down, his tail wrapped closely beside him. He said nothing.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to translate that book," I said, still wanting to reach out to him.

"I failed, Lady Sable."

"You didn't fail," I said, firmly. I picked him up. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"I think I need to rest," he said, his voice soft, and I set him back on the counter next to the espresso machine.

"I'll bring you up to the living room. It's more cozy," I added, trying to think of anything that'd help.

"I need some space." I swallowed, then nodded slowly and stepped back, unsure of where to go. The door rattled and I practically jumped. When I looked back, Lorestone had vanished. Betty to the rescue.

"I messed up," I whispered, leaning against the counter.

"Not more than I did," added the Cat, staring at me before turning to look at the door. Warmth pulsed from the floor boards, and the door rattled again, along with something in my chest. A small dark shape hovered near the glass, and the door unlocked. Indigo shot into the room, chirping frantically.

"Why was it locked?! We couldn't get in!" Before I could say anything, she crashed into me and snuggled next to my neck. Her fanny pack dug into my ribcage, but I didn't mind.

"It's all okay. I figured you were going to stay with the Clan a little longer," I said. I patted her back, realizing she weighed a little more than before. I wanted to have a little time to figure out what exactly was missing from the shop.

"Want to be home," came from near my ear. Lady Twilight stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

"Little Indigo really wanted to come home tonight." I pressed my lips together and nodded. I thought I'd reassured her enough when I was last at the library, but I must have been wrong. Patting her back seemed to help. Warmth blazed from her, but I didn't care.

"It's all good, Indigo," I said again. Yet, she didn't move, and remained pressed close. Lady Twilight's eyes danced around the room, before landing on the Cat. She gave him a nod.

"Lord Felix…"

"Lady Twilight," he said as his tail twitched. Her eyes flickered to where the archway that opened to the Cats domain remained, then back at the Cat.

"You're here?" she asked lightly. The question hung in the air, and the Cat only blinked twice.

"Is my hideaway safe?" asked Indigo, before anyone responded to Lady Twilight.

"Betty feels different. Is the shop okay?" Again, warmth rose from the floorboards, and a small light glowed above the bookshelves where the entrance to Indigo's hideaway rested. A slight draw pulled at the center of my magic, and I steadied myself as Betty pulled on my strength.

"That's a yes," I said, as Indigo turned and looked, almost smacking me in the face with a wing. Concern fluttered through me as the upper reaches of the balcony darkened. The wall colors faded a little, including the windows that normally led to the rooftop.

"My room!" She launched herself off me, almost knocking me back, but I regained my balance quickly as she dove to the other side of the room. Lady Twilight chuckled.

"That's little ones for you."

"A hug, and making sure her room is all okay, and everything is right with the world," I said. I shook my head.

"I wish that worked on all of us."

"The key is it's a hug from you that made it better," said Lady Twilight softly.

"She worried about you going off to save the Cat." He turned away from her, and practically stared at nothing, like saving him hadn't been needed. Stubborn Cat, well, Fey Lord.

"Everything turned out okay," I said, trying not to think about Lorestone, and how he could see. Plus whatever else had happened because he'd tried to translate the book. Now the book and my gift from Indigo were gone. I needed to mention that to her before she noticed that it had vanished. Hopefully, she didn't hold it against Lorestone that the Fates had done something to it.

"We'll be fine," I said with a sharp nod. Lady Twilight studied me before her gaze swept over the shop again.

"If you need anything, we will be here. You are family, even if you aren't a dragon."

"I know. We'll be good." She slowly left the shop and the door closed behind her with a click. The Cat let out a sigh.

"Dragons…"

"Are friends?" I said, with an eyebrow raised.

"I need to head back to my domain. Things are a little stretched at the moment…" he trailed off. Still, he didn't move from his place on the counter.

"Like I told Lady Twilight, things are okay," I said. Okay and fine were the only words I had at the moment. How did one describe the pull at the center of my chest, or that I was worried the only thing keeping the shop alive was my magic?