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"Uan slowly, "familiars are animals"

He raised his eyebrows in an "and your point is" expression "I read that familiars can be protectors - I aer - another even had a bear Why no' a Lykae?"

Nïx beaet to her?"

"Go to her room at Andoain"

"I was just there this " He trailed off, having learned not to question these things endlessly - or, in some instances, at all "Verra well"

At Andoain, he bounded up the stairs to Mari's bedroo Fro at him from behind their doors He dihout - they see open Mari's door And was suddenly in another house, with buckets of snow falling outside He glanced around, battling his sense of disquiet Was any of this real? Was he drea farther inside, he found a woman within who resembled Mariketa Beside her stood ahis brows at Bowe

At thatMari's parents - and that, in addition to his bare feet and unshaven, rough appearance, his shirt was on backward And inside out

"This is the ?" the man muttered "He can't even dress hih he ht not be able to dress himself, he sure as hell could perceive when a bairn was on his shoulders Instead he bit his tongue This warlock, though arrogant, was Bowe's future father-in-law

"A olf, Jill? Really"

"Hush" The woainst his stomach, then said, "I'm Jillian And this is my husband, Warren We are Mari's parents And we know you're Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan"

He gave her a nod

To Bowe, Warren dehter?"

When Bowe scowled, Jillian blithely continued, "We've been waiting for you Mari's been waiting She needs your help"

"Where is she?"

"Follow me" Jillian showed him to a room that looked like a cross between the bedroom in Belize and Mari's at Andoain

His breath left hithHis voice broke lohen he asked, "What's happened tae her?"

Jillian answered, "Once she received Häxa's powers, she basically enchanted herself And no one's strong enough to coick"

"None can fix what they can hardly touch," Warren said

Jillian added, "But we think youthat you intend to be her protector - "

"He's a beast familiar," Warren scoffed

"Which makes him a olf protector And that's why he's been allowed here"