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Languidly, the big cat stretches, then prowls forward, his tail brushing against my side as he starts after the magic.

I follow him, reveling in the subtle thrum of our connection. Though I cannot see the thin magical cord that connects us, I can still sense my familiar on the other end of it.

This is so wild.

Nero slips between the trees on silent feet, moving like a shadow through the jungle’s underbrush.

We haven’t gone far when the trees give way to a large, winding river.

Could this betheAmazon River? Because that would actually be really fucking awesome. Random, but awesome.

I stand there, hands on my hips, my combat boots splattered with mud and my skin sweaty, and I savor the ridiculous irony of the situation. I’m now getting the wild magic quest I was too broke to afford. I mean, technically I’m also too broke for the quest I purchased, but what are details?

The line of blue magic cuts directly across the river, disappearing into the trees on the other side.

I let out a sigh, then turn to Nero. “You wouldn’t happen to know of any nearby bridges, would you?”

CHAPTER6

It’s not a bridge,but Nero does lead me to a boat. Well, adinghy. One that’s rusted over and partially submerged into the muddy riverbank. Inside, it’s filled with decaying shrubbery, a murky puddle of water, and what looks to be a thriving, self-contained ecosystem. The floor of it is also partially rusted through. And it’s missing its oars.

But you know what? It’ssomething.

So I spend a ridiculous amount of time and magic repairing theTetanus Expressand prying it out of the riverbank. By the end of it, my head, which had stopped hurting thanks to the aspirin, begins to throb again.

I ignore the pain and my rising anxieties about the amount of power I’ve used today. I’m on a magic quest; I can be a little indulgent with my spellcasting.

With that thought in mind, I release another burst of my power, one that cleans the interior of the dinghy. All the while, the dark blue magic circles me.

Empress…

I ignore the voice and the restlessness it stirs in me. Instead, I drag the boat into the water, grimacing a little when my boots squish into the riverbed. I nearly whoop with joy when the dinghy stays afloat, rocking gently in the shallows of the river. It’s still badly rusted and missing oars, but it floats.

I turn to Nero, who’s been watching from the riverbank, and I hesitate. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to acquire a familiar but not what to do with one once we bonded.

“Do you…want to come with me?” I ask.

Nero stares at me for a moment. Then, in response, he prowls to the lapping edge of the river and leaps into the dinghy. The force of his landing nearly capsizes the boat in the process.

“Dude,” I say, grabbing the edge of the vessel and holding it as steady as I can.

If Nero was at all worried about being thrown overboard, he doesn’t show it. The panther plops on the floor of the boat and begins cleaning himself.

I glance one last time at what I can see of my magical repairs to the dinghy, then at the far side of the river.

Taking a deep breath, I gather my courage and hoist myself into the boat.

Before I can even attempt a spell to get this thing moving toward the far side of the river, the magic circling me now pushes at my back, propelling us across.

I let out a shaky exhale.

Well, that solves that.

It’s only when we’ve reached the center of the river that I have my misgivings.

What in the goddess’s name am I doing? Magic quest or no, I shouldn’t be wandering around in this unfamiliar jungle, letting some mysterious being lure me closer. I don’t even have my notebook, so if I forget my memories from earlier today, I’m F-U-C-K-E-D.

I glance overhead at the afternoon sun.