“Not So Above It All” by Faora Meridian [18+]

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Today I'm reading an adult story for mature listeners.

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If that's not your cup of tea,

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or if there are youngsters listening,

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you can skip this one and

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I'll have a new story for you next time.

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

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I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and today’s story is

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“Not So Above It All”

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by Faora Meridian,

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a longtime furry writer whose short stories have been published by Sofawolf and Furplanet,

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and you can find more of his stories on Sofurry.

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“Not So Above It All”

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by Faora Meridian

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It was understoo d that a magic academy was a world unto itself.

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The rest of creation didn’t matter when you stepped foot within its walls.

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Everything that was understood to be melted away in the face of a reality that warped and shifted

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with the proper application of energy, will,

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and knowledge. The rules that governed the universe were up for grabs.

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Great and terrible powers vied for attention;

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power to change the world for better

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or worse. Power that could topple kings and raise up empires.

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So when a gray-robed fox’s dorm room door melted away under a wave of his paw to reveal a candlelit boudoir

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that would put the most elegant brothels in the land to shame,

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he paid it no mind.

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From within a slit in his robe he withdrew a thick tome —

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A Treatise on Eldritch Lore and the Precise Application of Entropic Sublimation —

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set it down on a silk-draped end-table,

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and arched to stretch his back.

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His gaze rose as he bent.

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It raked across the ruddy walls,

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passed by flaming sconces,

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drifted across runic circles-

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-and settled on the naked wolf lashed back-first to the ceiling.

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The fox blinked. The wolf coughed.

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A frown touched the vulpine’s

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brow as he perked an ear.

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“Blaine.” “Riley.” The bondage that trapped the wolf several feet above the floor was not rope.

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The fox’s attention shifted to the rubbery black lengths that constricted Blaine’s limbs,

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and they shimmered with an

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internal, arcane glow.

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“This is new.” “There’s actually a very reasonable explanation for all of this,”

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the wolf replied.

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His voice was

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even, though his tail was tucked.

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He coughed again as Riley cocked his head

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and waved an expectant paw.

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“And… I’ll give it to you just as soon as I’ve constructed it.”

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“Oh, take your time.”

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The fox waved back behind him

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and the door to the room swiftly reformed.

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“I don’t think either of us are going anywhere.”

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A moment’s irritation seemed to cross Blaine’s face,

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but it faded as he licked around his muzzle.

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“I’m just glad it’s you.

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Sarina would never let me live this down.”

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The fox’s smile turned sly.

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“You make a critical assumption there about my future behavior compared to that of our esteemed roommate that might well be in error.”

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“Right now, I’ll take ‘might’ over her.”

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Blaine cleared his throat

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as he looked around their changed dorm room.

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“Alright, so. I may have miscalculated.”

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Riley’s other ear pricked up.

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“Pray tell what gives you that impression.”

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Blaine’s eyes rolled

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as he grit his teeth together.

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“Okay. Alright, you remember Orvyn?”

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“Skinny ferret.” “I think they’re just called ferrets.”

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“Fair point.” Riley waved his paw again.

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“He did this to you?”

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The insides of the wolf’s ears grew pink

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as his eyes suddenly failed to meet Riley’s.

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“Well, no. I did this to me.

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We’ve sorta been…

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you know.” Blaine rolled his paws in circles as best he could with them bound.

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“And he liked the idea of me… well-”

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Riley smirked. “Elevated?”

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“No.” “Out of his reach?”

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“You aren’t helping.” “Safely contained, then.”

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Riley was certain that if Blaine had been able,

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the wolf would have had his head in his paws.

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As his paws were securely kept at an arm’s length from his face however,

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he had to settle for the act of sagging in his restraints.

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“So I tried to conjure some phantom limbs.”

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The fox threw him a lopsided smile

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as he regarded the thick tendrils that bound the wolf’s body.

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“To say ‘tried’ might be something of an understatement.

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I daresay you succeeded.”

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“Yes, well I’m good with conjuration.”

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The wolf struggled again for a moment before he allowed himself to fall slack.

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“Too good, I suppose.” “Mmm.

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My heart bleeds for you and your preeminent skills.”

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Riley waved toward the door.

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“And Orvyn? Where’d the slinky little bugger run off to once he saw your predicament?”

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Both of Blaine’s ears flattened.

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“I believe,” he said,

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every syllable belabored for emphasis,

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“that he may have left to spread the tale.”

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“I thought that he would have preferred to remain in order to spread your-” “Yes, quite.”

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“Or perhaps hunt down a step ladder so that he might do so.”

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“I got it, thank you.”

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Blaine began to struggle again,

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but it was to equally little avail.

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“And now I can’t create the correct gestures to un-conjure these blasted things.”

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Riley once again considered the wolf’s predicament.

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The tendrils seemed to have come out of both the wall and the ceiling, and they all protruded from the center of those little runic circles

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that somehow persisted through

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whatever gaudy illusion he’d covered their dorm room with.

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The fox’s eyes fixed on the circle nearest to him as he rubbed at his chin.

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“This is Arcuran cuneiform.”

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Blaine cocked his head.

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“They are.” The fox nodded back.

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“You are, as they say,

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fucked.” “I’m actually not.

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My attempt to rectify that is what put me here.

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here.” “Fair point. You shouldn’t have used Arcuran cuneiform.

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Dreadfully imprecise.”

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The fox marched over to the nearest circle

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and tapped one of the symbols that ringed it.

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In turn, the tendril that had emerged from the circle and wrapped around Blaine’s left leg constricted for a moment.

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“Meaning?” The wolf groaned as he tried to twist himself around.

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It took a few moments to crane his head just enough to bring the circle and the fox into view again.

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“Release.” Riley hummed to himself as he shook his head.

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“Perpetuity.” Blaine’s eyes widened.

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“No.” “Oh, yes.” The fox began to smile as he traced a finger across the symbols on the circle in sequence.

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“Should have used High Draconic.

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See here? Enforcement, restraint, limited by the desire for perpetuity,

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invoked by the blah blah blah… you’re thoroughly stuck.”

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A whimper slid out of the wolf’s muzzle.

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“I’m thoroughly fucked.”

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“At least it’s what you were looking for.”

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Riley shrugged as he started toward the door.

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“I’ll summon the headmaster.”

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“No!” The shout stopped the fox in his tracks,

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and he looked back up to see Blaine vigorously shaking his head.

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“No. Nooooo. No. No!” “Stop saying no.”

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Riley’s eyes narrowed as he flattened his ears.

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“It doesn’t even sound like a word anymore.”

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“You summon the headmaster and she’ll…”

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His eyes flicked down as if to indicate his naked body.

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Riley frowned. “I hardly think you’re her type.”

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“That isn’t what I-”

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“She’s a refined female of high standing, Blaine.”

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“Riley, I-” “And married besides!

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What would her wives think?”

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“She’ll throw me out for misuse of arcana!”

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The fox lifted both paws to ward off the suspended wolf,

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and he smiled as Blaine sighed.

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“Very well. No headmaster.

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What do you expect me to do?

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I can’t exactly cut you down.”

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“No, and the prospect of you introducing sharp implements to this equation does nothing to improve my present circumstance.”

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He began to squirm in his restraints again.

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“Can you dispel the runes?”

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“The cuneiform.” “The whatever it is!”

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Blaine struggled harder.

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“Maybe if you’d used runes I could have done.”

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Riley hummed to himself again

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as he looked over the circle for a solution.

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“Even a second-year student knows to use draconic runes for your more carnal applications of magic.”

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“Well, I’m sure I’ll- wait, what?”

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“Kobolds.” “Oh. Right.” “There’s

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a reason draconic magic makes such fantastic use of spatial compression.”

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Riley nodded to himself

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as he narrowed the focus of his inspection to Blaine’s erroneous symbol. “Hmm.

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Maybe. Maybe there’s an option here.”

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Blaine’s eyes narrowed.

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“And are you willing to enlighten the rest of us or would you rather keep this revelation all to yourself?” Riley’s

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smile returned

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as he folded his arms and regarded his ceiling-strung colleague.

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“Arcuran cuneiform is heavily contextual.

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Used in conjuring, the pictographs are either

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driven by the context of the spell — of which you have little —

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or the desire in the conjurer’s mind.

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You depicted perpetuity.”

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“Obviously I didn’t mean perpetuity.”

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“Obviously not. However, the symbol can be read also

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as ascension.” Riley paused as he looked up at the wolf again.

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For his part, Blaine ground his back against the ceiling.

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“I certainly achieved ascension, after a fashion.”

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The fox nodded. “It can also mean

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satisfaction.” “That was the goal.”

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“And did you achieve that as well?”

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“You didn’t walk in on my body being ravaged by a slim ferret with a knack for stamina enchantment so

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I would wager to guess that I did not.”

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“A fair point.” Riley smirked.

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“And while it can also mean ‘apples,’

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I doubt that this was your secret intent.”

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One of Blaine’s ears twitched

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and perked up. “Apples?

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Seriously?” “I’m sorry.

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Would you prefer I temporally transpose myself back to the time of the Arcuran civilization

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and ask them politely to create a clearer system of literacy?”

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“I think I might prefer you temporally transpose myself back to the time when I thought this was a good idea so I could knock some sense into myself.”

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“You’d be there knocking all day.”

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“Come again?” “I said I think I can get you down.”

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Riley traced a finger gently across the erroneous symbol.

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“Yes. Yes, if the context of the spell was polluted by errant intent,

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then yes. I think I can.”

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Blaine sighed. “Gods be praised.”

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“Yes, you’re quite welcome.”

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The fox’s finger

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ran back down the symbol once again,

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and the tip of his claw began to glow with a soft blue-white light

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as he concentrated. “If I can augment your intent with additional

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context from a second caster,

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then it’s possible that you might be released imminently.”

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Behind and above him,

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Blaine winced. “I see two problems with this resolution.”

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“The floor is one problem.”

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“Yes, and gravity makes for the other.”

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The symbol under Riley’s finger began to take on the same glow as the digit itself.

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“The gravity is no problem.

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problem.” “From your perspective.

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From mine, I might disagree.”

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“Well, it’s only an issue as regards the floor.”

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“Thus reinforcing my concern.”

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“Hush.” Riley’s brow furrowed,

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his ears tipped forward as he leaned closer to the circle.

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The glow inlaid within the cuneiform symbol began to

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pulse with his heartbeat.

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“I need to focus. I need just

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a little… bit… more…

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there!” The tendrils that bound Blaine to the ceiling slacked for a second,

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and the wolf yipped in a distinctly unmasculine fashion

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as he felt himself fall for that second.

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The floor would have raced up toward him until a gray blur was whipped up in his path.

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He slammed into the object

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much more gently than he probably expected to.

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That the object was a confused and surprised Riley

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may have had something to do with it.

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New tendrils extended from within the circles all around the room

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and had curled about the fox’s limbs faster than he could blink.

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The glow vanished from the circle and his finger as he was spun about

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to face the floor and lifted up to bodily catch his larger roommate.

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His robes whipped up through the air as he was lifted against Blaine’s front,

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and the two grunted as they were pressed into the ceiling once more.

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Silence reigned for a moment,

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punctuated by Riley’s pants for breath.

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It took a moment for the fox to collect himself.

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He forced himself to calm.

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To relax. The tendrils around his limbs relaxed with him,

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but not enough to slip free.

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Riley grit his teeth.

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Behind him, Blaine coughed.

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“So.” “No.” “That failed rather spectacularly.” “Not another word.”

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“No, I’m impressed. Really. Well done.”

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“I will banish you to the polar fields of Skiraxis when this is over. Mark my words.”

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“Yes, well… shit.” The word caused Riley to perk his ears.

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“Shit?” Blaine didn’t answer in words, but they were entirely unnecessary.

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Riley’s squirming back was pressed against the wolf’s chest,

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but that position also lined up other things.

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Riley found himself suddenly able to feel the wolf’s heartbeat through their close contact,

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and quite lower in his body than he’d anticipated.

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“Oh.” “Yeah.” Blaine coughed again as he wriggled his hips.

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“Sorry.” “No you’re not.”

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“I’m sort of sorry.”

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“No you’re not.” Riley frowned

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and as he stared at the circle of cuneiform symbols he’d failed to influence correctly.

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“That should have worked. I don’t understand how that didn’t work.”

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Blaine might have tried to shrug, but it only wound up grinding himself more firmly against Riley’s trapped backside. “Wait.

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Were you invoking intent through an internal arcano-mental visualization

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of the metaphysical space within the circle?”

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“Well, obviously.” “Then you fucked up.”

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Riley’s tail tucked…

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or tried. Instead it only seemed to grind back against Blaine’s crotch, and the wolf moaned softly in turn as Riley sighed.

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“Yes, I clearly fucked up,

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evident by the circumstance that I now share with you.

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Your contribution is well received.” “Keep wriggling

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like that and you might well find yourself receiving a different sort of contribution.

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contribution.” “Promises, promises.”

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Riley tilted his head to bring the circle back into view, but Blaine must have misinterpreted the motion.

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The wolf moved in to nuzzle against the back of the fox’s neck,

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and Riley froze up as he fought to keep his focus.

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“Stop that.

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We need to figure out how this all went so

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terribly wrong.” “Yes, well I already figured that out.

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You’re the one who can’t stop squirming.”

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“And you’re the desperately needy sod who wound up invoking this situation in the first place.

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Do we need to assign blame presently?”

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“No, I suppose not.”

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“Good. I would win.”

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Eyes narrowed and ears back,

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Riley stared at the circle again.

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The glow had well and truly faded,

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and without the ability to touch it

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physically or make the correct arcane gestures,

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his ability to correct his situation was limited.

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The fox worked his jaw from side to side.

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“Fine. You said you had this figured out. Elaborate.”

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“Must I? This is much more comfortable than when I was here alone.”

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For emphasis, he ground himself down against Riley’s backside once again.

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“You really rather must.

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That banishment to Skiraxis is still on the table.”

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“As a certainty. Not really much incentive to do anything other than savor the moment, wouldn’t you say?”

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“Blaine, I swear by all the gods that there have ever been,

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I will find a way to stab you with literally every single pointy thing in this academy

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if you don’t explain

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now.” The wolf chuckled.

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“Only all the pointy things?”

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“Keep it up. I’ll extend the vow to blunt objects.

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Anything can pierce skin with the correct application of force.”

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As if to prove his point,

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the wolf rolled his hips again.

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“Don’t I know it.”

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“Blaine.” “Were you visualizing the changes in Arcuran cuneiform?”

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“No, I was… oh.” Riley grimaced.

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“Oh.” “Draconic?” “Yes.” “Feeling stupid?”

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“Positively moronic. Now shut up.”

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Riley closed his eyes,

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even as the wolf began to grind against him again.

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“No. None of that, if you please.

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please.” “You’re just saying that because the robes are in the way.”

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Nevertheless, Blaine’s hips fell still.

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The wolf’s breath seemed to hitch for a second,

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though he remained silent.

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That silence continued for a few more seconds until Riley realized that something must be wrong.

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He sighed as he opened his eyes again.

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“Blaine, what is-” Below them was a figure.

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Female, and just inside the freshly opened door to the altered dorm room,

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the lioness was dressed in the same robes as still protected at least Riley’s modesty.

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She stared up at the males pinned to the ceiling

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with a mixture of frustration

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and amusement. “Riley.

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Blaine.” “Serina.” Riley turned his head and could see Blaine’s mortified look in his periphery.

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“There really is a very reasonable explanation for this,”

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the wolf told her.

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“Yeah. That’s a stretch.”

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Her smile twisted a little as she eyed Riley.

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“Or it looks like it’s a stretch, at least.

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Do you need some help getting down?”

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Riley turned his head a little further and caught Blaine’s eye.

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The wolf vigorously shook his head even as Riley sighed.

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“You are a baby.” “I won’t have my pride ruined like this.”

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“A tiny cub.” “I don’t need this again, Riley.”

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“Mewling quietly in the darkness, aren’t you?”

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“Fine!” Blaine sighed as he glanced away. “Serina,

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would you please help us down from here?”

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The lioness’ eyes glittered.

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“Oh, absolutely,” she replied as her grin widened.

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“I’ll go fetch the headmaster. She’ll have a solution that-” “No!”

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Blaine’s shout came before Riley could even open his muzzle,

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and it partially deafened the fox under him.

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“No, she’ll throw us out!”

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“This is your fault,”

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Riley tersely reminded him.

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“She’ll throw you out.”

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“I’ll make sure to tell her it was your idea!”

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“She would never believe that I would be so stupid as to make this mistake!” “You’re

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up here with me!”

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Riley opened his muzzle to reply, but no sound came out.

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It hung there as Serina watched them,

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still grinning ear to ear,

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until he finally,

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slowly allowed it to slide closed again.

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“Fuck. And no,” he added as Blaine tried a little grind of his hips again.

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The smile slipped a little from Serina’s face as the lioness folded her arms and looked around the room.

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“Well if I’m not to fetch the headmaster, then what do you expect me to do?

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Find some sixth-year disenchanter?”

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She sighed and rolled her eyes.

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“What was the limiting factor of the conjuration?”

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Riley’s glare took a few moments to reach Blaine,

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so slow was the turn of his head toward his accidental companion.

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He felt the shrug of the wolf’s shoulders in the way it pressed their bodies together again.

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“I hate you.” “I know.”

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“Thoroughly. Unequivocally. With all my heart.”

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“Got it, thanks.” “Well?” Serina asked.

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She spread her arms out wide.

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“I’m waiting.” The fox sighed and closed his eyes.

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“I don’t suppose,” he drawled as he looked anywhere but at Serina,

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“you would happen to have on you an apple.”

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This was “Not So Above It All” by Faora Meridian,

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read for you by Khaki,

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your faithful fireside companion.

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Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog