“So what happened today?” she searched his body language for what he might be feeling. “Nothing, just the normal stuff.” His voice and body w...s seeping anxiety. She paused for a moment and said “I wish you trusted me.” She worked at making her voice sound disheartened. She knew it was a low blow. Moreover that it wasn’t true, but she had to get him to open up somehow and it was a tried and true gambit. “I Do trust you!” his voice was full of earnest sincerity. She rubbed his shoulder and. Don't worry. I thought I would surprise you. I didn't want you to see me just yet I have changed so much. Are you OK with this?" "Well, erm, yes I suppose if that's what you need to do then I am fine, but I am dying to see how you look" "Oh there will be plenty of time for that, just bear with me while I set things up". I heard the sound of heels clinking along the wooden floor becoming more distant, and then returning slowly and deliberately. OK, so this was an odd way to greet an old friend. She almost seemed amused.She gave me an appraising nod. Then she and my roommate executed an archetypal walk of shame toward the elevator. I was sure my roomie was headed for plan B, the jock fraternity.I fell asleep to the accustomed smell of sex. It was more disturbing than usual. It must have been her pheromones. But I almost felt jealous of the moron.I didn’t run into her again until the last few days of that semester. I was at the classic fraternity kegger. I lived in the dorms because I. ”“When my new master came back from his last trip to Mt Fire, he and the mistress had changed. They’d learnt to dull their auras but I knew that they were even more powerful than before. My master placed this band on my foreleg.” Stix extended her leg so they could see the gem-studded band when she made it appear.She then went on, “He had put a spell on it for me so I could safely enter and leave the magical shield that protected his property in Avilla. I now believe that the spell and the band.