The Cat With Violet EyesSura came at midnight.
Kayla woke to a scratching noise at her window—five stories above the archive courtyard. She peered out and saw… nothing.
Then a voice spoke.
"You're either braver than you look, or dumber."
She turned. A cat now sat on her windowsill, fur silver streaked through black, violet eyes glowing faintly in the dark.
Kayla reached for her broom.
"Relax," the cat said. "I'm not here to kill you. Though I could. Rather easily."
"Who are you?"
"My name is Sura. I was in that mirror. You woke me. And now I'm yours."
Kayla blinked. "You're a familiar?"
"A rare one. One they tried to erase."
Sura leapt down. "Your family died to hide the truth. And it's not lost. Not yet."
Kayla stared. Her voice came out hoarse. "You knew my parents?"
Sura's eyes softened. "They protected me. Hid me. Tried to stop him. Verrin. The dark familiar who betrayed the crown. You saw him too, didn't you?"
Kayla nodded slowly. "I want to know the truth."
"Then we begin now." Sura sat down, tail curling neatly. "Bind with me. I won't ask again."
Kayla hesitated. Binding was sacred. Dangerous. Forever.
But she had spent six years wandering in shadows. Alone. Unseen.
She offered her hand.
A soft burn spread across her palm as violet light flared between them.
It was done.