Scholar of Magic (Art of the Adept #3) - Michael G. Manning Page 0,140

much in the last few years. Those things were terrifying, but you talked to them as though it didn’t bother you at all.”

“I was swarmed by vampires yesterday, Mom. I guess it’s all relative.” He had no intention of mentioning the joke regarding him having to sacrifice an arm.

“Why did you tell him to name it Gan? Why not Arrogan?”

“That’s what they called Arrogan,” said Will.

Sammy could hardly contain herself. “That was quick! What happened?”

Will explained while struggling up the ladder. With only one leg, he was forced to hold himself up with both arms while he took each step. It turned out to be easier than he expected, though his leg complained every time he bumped his right foot against anything. After he had finally pulled himself over the edge, he sat and rested a moment while the others came up.

He noticed something interesting in the middle of the giant, four-poster bed that took up one wall of Arrogan’s old bedroom. A small pedestal of cushions had been built up, and in the middle of them, resting like royalty, lay the goddamn cat.

Trying not to scream when the muscle was pulled as he stood up, Will hobbled over to examine the demigod, who appeared to be sleeping. In his housecat form, the Cath Bawlg always appeared as a gray tabby with short hair, but there was something different about him now. Sammy stepped up beside him, then put a finger over her lips as she whispered, “Don’t disturb him. Mister Mittens is sleeping.”

Will’s eyes bugged out. Mister Mittens? Had the goddamn cat heard her call him that? He looked Sammy up and down, but he saw no signs of scratches or bloody wounds. Then he looked back at the cat and realized what had been bothering him subconsciously.

Someone had tied a neat little pink bow in the goddamn cat’s hair, centered between his ears—and it was adorable. Using the crutch, he shuffled out of the bedroom as quickly as he could, giving Sammy weird looks the entire way. Once they were in the front room, he confronted her. “Did you do that to him?” he said in a worried half-whisper.

“Do what?” she asked innocently. “I made him the bed on top of the bed, and I brushed him out,” she admitted. “From what I could see someone hasn’t been taking very good care of their cat.” She gave Will a look of disapproval.

His jaw dropped. “My cat? Are you insane? He’s nobody’s cat. He’s a goddamn demigod! Did he let you put that thing in his hair?”

She smiled. “It wasn’t easy, but he was sleeping and Aunt Erisa always tells me that I have very clever fingers. I tied it by hand.”

“He’s liable to murder us all if he finds out!” exclaimed Will.

“Stop exaggerating. Mister Mittens has been a perfect gentleman since you left. I never knew how much I liked cats until you brought him to visit.” She paused, then added, “How did he get hurt, by the way?”

“I was riding him through Hell and some demons shot at us with these weird magic crossbows,” said Will dryly.

“Be serious, Will!” she demanded angrily. “Someone deliberately hurt that cat, didn’t they?”

“I’m fairly certain that’s what I just told you.” They were both distracted then, when the goddamn cat slipped through the open door and walked between them. Will stifled a laugh when he saw the bow again. Damn, that’s cute.

Sammy knelt. “Mister Mittens! You shouldn’t be walking around. You need to rest so you can heal,” she remonstrated the cat gently. “What’s this?” She began feeling around in the fur on the cat’s chest. “I can’t find the scabs.”

“He heals quickly,” said Will, amazed that the Cath Bawlg seemed to be letting his cousin touch him without complaint.

“Nothing heals that quickly,” argued Sammy.

Erisa stepped into the room. “This cat does.” She glanced at Will. “Are you still determined to leave?”

He nodded.

Sammy was immediately up in arms. “You just got here! And you haven’t cooked anything!”

“Is that all you care about?” asked Erisa.

Will laughed. “I