Memoirs of a Witch (In Bloom Book 1.5)

Early Beginnings

"Nice game, Cassie!" Jack high fived me.

Ruggie panted, "Cassie...are you...getting...faster?!"

"Am I?" I took a drink from my water, "All I know is that was fun."

Another Savanaclaw student gave me a fist bump, "Sly Fox strikes again! Nice play!"

"Next time, she's on our team!" a student from the opposing side yelled out.

"Are you all finished?" Leona walked towards us from the bleachers, "Game's over. Make sure the field's  clean before you head out."

Aside from training with Diasomnia, playing magift with Savanaclaw was my favorite time of the week. I could freely experiment with my magic on the field and continue to test my limits.  It also helped me significantly improve on my performance in dueling with Silver and Sebek.

Lilia even told me to expect a match with him sometime in the near future. Malleus, on the other hand, said he would admire the spectacle from the sidelines.

With all of the equipment cleared, Ruggie, Jack, and I took a rest on the bleachers. Leona laid down a couple of rows above us. I could not blame him. With the cool breeze that complimented the sunny day, it was the perfect weather to be outside.

"If Grim was here, he'd sprawl out on the grass," I smiled at the image.

"That reminds me, why doesn't Grim come with you?" Jack wondered, "Aside from when we visit your dorm, we don't see him very much."

Naturally, Grim would not come with me to my classes or to my job. He would accompany me to Heartslabyul and Scarabia whenever they hosted a party, though it was mainly for the food. The rest of his time, and a vast majority of it, was spent at our dorm. Though I sometimes worried over the excessive amount of time he spent on his own, he did not mind it. He had the three dorm ghosts to keep him company and he would keep himself busy during the day.

Regularly, we ensured to spend time together. Whether it be by reading a book, cooking, or gardening.

"Grim isn't bound to me. He can go wherever whenever he wants."

"I thought pets were always supposed to follow their masters," Leona said.

"First, Grim isn't my pet, he's my familiar," I corrected, "Second, even though I'm his mistress, he still has a say."

Traditionally, familiars were bound to witches through a magical oath. That promise ensured Grim and I would always find our way to each other, but it came with its own downsides. For one, Grim and I would sense each other's emotions. Whenever he was joyous, depressed, or in pain, I would mirror it and vice versa. Secondly, our lifelines would be bound. Meaning, if one of us left this world too soon, the other would soon follow them to the Land of the Dead.

I never thought such measures were necessary for Grim and I. Our personalities complimented one another and we worked extremely well together. Although it would be of his own volition, I did not like the idea of someone being bound to me until our time in this world expired. Grim should have the freedom to enjoy his own life however he desired.

When he did discover about the oath, Grim also considered it unnecessary for the same reasons I did. He also did not want to deal with my "feminine side effects" when that joyous time of month came.

Jack crossed his legs, "How did you and Grim meet in the first place?"

"I found him in the woods when I was four years old. The poor thing-"

"Four years old?!" Ruggie exclaimed, "What were you doing in the woods that young?! I thought the Land of Pyroxene was made up entirely of cities."

"I grew up in the northern region, where there's more natural scenery," I clarified, "Don't get me wrong, we still had electricity, technology, and everything like that. I spent the majority of my time outside and my parents didn't care where I went."