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“He wants me to do something,” I note.
Truthfully, I’m going by instinct here because even though I confronted this specific Notorious Worm fourteen years ago, I never could learn how to communicate with their breed.
It’s actually one of the hardest languages in the Nephilim language dialect dictionary to learn, but the majority assume the chances of interacting with a Notorious Worm long enough to interact with them is less than 0.005%.
Here we are, defeating the odds.
“He wants you to offer your dominant hand,” Kali announces, drawing my attention to him.
He was still carrying a scowl, especially after the whole grand “reveal,” but we all agreed that we’d respect his pronouns, even if it was something none of us were used to yet.
The world of magic was rather “slow” in that department, but at N.M.U., everyone’s pronouns were respected and officially documented, so slip-ups wouldn’t happen.
“You understand him, Kali?” Blair inquires.
“A little,” he admits with a huff. “Tried learning their language, but it’s fucking hard, and they say the percentage of one ever needing to communicate with one is 0.005%.”
So, my research is still accurate.
“Here you go,” I offer my hand.
Only to watch him stab me.
“Oh, shit!” Kali and Blair curse in unison as the commotion gets the attention of Asher, Hades, Azrael, Professor North, and Professor Blackbird.
“Fuck, did he just stab you?” Asher is in protective mode, but Hades and Azrael stop him.
“Hold on,” Professor North calmly states as Professor Blackbird walks over to us.
I’m fascinated at the pierced trident in question because not only is it glowing an ivory green, but it’s making me feel weird from the inside out.
“Um…” I nervously begin just as Professor Blackbird crouches next to me. “Am I dying?”
“No,” Professor Blackbird chuckles and places a hand along my back.
I shiver at the touch, feeling the protective warmth of his magic that helped heal all of us earlier. That shouldn’t contribute to why I still feel some sort of magical pull with him—maybe to a lesser degree than Professor North—but I’ll have to do my own research as to why that is.
When we’re not going through various trials.
“He’s laying an imprint on you,” Professor Blackbird reveals. “Most fae need to have some sort of connection with you to mark you as ‘one of their own.’ For Notorious Worms, it’s extremely rare for them to lay imprints on creatures outside of their hierarchy of fae. They’ve only done it for a few individuals who show great promise in their destiny and in certain fae beings destined to become royals. They never imprint on someone who’s already fulfilled their purpose or crowned royalty, which is why many courts in Nephilim or kingdoms in Malevolence will send children and young teens into these forests in hopes they’ll bond with one.”
“Wh-What?” Blair stutters. “They send their children into this type of forest to face the creature whose width and length can measure the main castle of N.M.U.?”
“Faes deem it as a test,” Kali explains. “If a fae child can face and survive a Notorious Worm attack, they’re deemed impeccable of being raised into warriors, regardless of gender. Even the most elegant fae, who look like they’ll never walk upon a battlefield, are raised with the same principles.”
“And if they get injured or die?” Azrael inquires.
“Then they’re better off dead,” Kali states with a shrug. “Fae are ruthless. We all know that. If their offspring can’t survive the hardships in these forest depths, then they’re a disgrace. They would be mocked if they came back empty-handed.”
“So, you’re saying if they don’t imprint with the Notorious Worm, that’s it?” I’m trying to understand this properly. “How is it something rare when every fae is expected to do this as a child?”
I flinch when Larkin pulls his trident out, his ritual now complete. The wounds left in place bleed only for a few seconds as I watched the flesh begin to close until it was as if I had never been stabbed.
“What the…” I trail off and inspect my hand to confirm it’s completely healed.
“They either come back with the shell of the Notorious Worm, which can be used to create various armor that is given first dibs to the child’s family who slayed the creature, or they return with the imprinted Notorious Worm, like you claiming Larkin as a pet,” Kali explains. “That’s why everyone wishes to imprint with them.”
“Why?” Asher questions with a pout.
