Chapter 3
Since the hunt was approaching, less than three years away, Harry’s family had decided to slowly start to remove his parental seals. Because hunting with seals on, ones that aren’t permanent, makes you hide your true potential. And that can lead to end up with Bonded who cannot handle your kind of power or true personality. Honestly, Harry wasn’t even looking for intended let alone ending up bonded.
Still, ever since everything felt even more… more . Feeling the wind on his wings now was like breathing for the first time, his air affinity running wild at finally being able to be part of the breeze instead of merely gliding above it.
He may have been a little distracted and flew past the Deveraine’s house, but luckily he noticed when he hadn’t gotten too far and soon enough he was bursting through Kandra’s front door like a gust of poorly coordinated chaos, nearly tripping over the edge of the carpet. “Kandra!” he called, his voice cracking slightly from the appearance change. “Emergency!”
A few of Kandra’s parents looked his way but once he shifted into his real appearance most of them dismissed him quickly already used to his shenanigans. Kandra, lounging on the couch with a cup of tea and scrolling through the air at some holographic screen, didn’t even flinch. “Let me guess,” she said, eyebrows raised. “You finally got caught stealing pastries from that bakery with the really aggressive beta?”
“What? No! I don’t ste–”
“Did you accidentally adopt a Nytura thinking it was a cat again, and now it’s eating your furniture?”
“No, that’s not it! Leave Minnie out of this. It only happened once, and I told you that in confidence.” Harry whined embarrassed. In his defense, it was really dark and since he usually changed his eyes so he was able to actually see, he had forgotten his glasses. But this time he was on a medical ban from using his metamorphmagus talent because shifting too often can make you forget your real appearance or something like that. He ended up stumbling to his bed with what was supposed to be a kitten in his arms only to wake up with a Nytura sleeping on his chest.
“This is way worse,” Harry groaned, collapsing dramatically into the armchair across from her. “My family wants to meet my intended.”
“You don’t have an intended.”
“Exactly!” Harry wailed, throwing his hands up. “But I panicked when they asked about yesterday and told them I did. Now they’re obsessed! They kept asking questions and demanding details, and my dad kept making comments about finally meeting him. I can’t keep dodging forever. They’re going to figure out I lied! I’m pretty sure my papa can smell lies”
Kandra gave him a flat look. “Well, you did lie. Maybe ask Zo? She’s closer to your age maybe she has some ideas.”
“Soula’s always with Shay and you know the Imaldis disapprove of her being friends with me even more than your sister.”
“I think it’s Ariki but whatever. What did you even tell them about this imaginary intended?”
Harry hesitated, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve. “Uh... I said he was tall, handsome, black eyes, black hair, and training abroad because he’s doing some kind of super gheyo test.”
Kandra snorted, setting her book down. “Super secret training? What is he a gheyo or a spy?”
Harry groaned, collapsing back onto the sofa like a man facing his execution. “That’s not the point! If they find out I lied, I’ll never hear the end of it. I need your help.”
Still chuckling, Kandra gestured for him to sit. “Okay, okay. Let’s fix this. They want proof, right? We’ll give them proof.”
“Proof?”
“Photos,” she said simply. “You’re a shifter. Just turn into this perfect boyfriend you’ve described, and we’ll do a quick photoshoot. Easy peasy.”
Harry groaned, already dreading the suggestion. “It’s called metamorphmagus and I tried that. I can’t make it work.”
“What do you mean, you can’t make it work? You’ve shifted into other people before!”
“Yes, but the problem it’s my hair,” he admitted, running a hand through the perpetual mess in his head. “No matter what I do, no matter who I shift into, my stupid hair stays the same.”
Kandra stared at him, then at his hair, then back at him. “That’s absurd.”
“It’s true!” Harry exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “This mess is my genetic curse. Everyone else I change into can be explained as having a bad hair day, but this?” He tugged at his curls dramatically. “This is a permanent bad hair life. My dad would recognize it in a second.”
Kandra snickered, shaking her head. “Alright, Plan B. I’ll do it.”
Harry gave her a once-over, his brow furrowed. “You’re… too short.”
Kandra gasped. “Excuse me?” She glared down at Harry who was even shorter than her.
Harry’s self-preservation instinct worked for once and he backed away from her stammering excuses. “My dad’s already asked if he’s taller than me. And you?” He made a vague hand gesture near his shoulder not daring to finish the sentence.
“I’ll show you height,” Kandra muttered, storming out of the room.
Harry sighed, assuming she was grabbing a stool or something. Maybe it would work if she managed to find something big enough and they cut that part of the photo. But when she returned, it wasn’t with a stool. It was with her younger brother.
Ariki stood in the doorway, his face bright red. “Um, hi, Harry.”
Harry blinked. “Ariki?”
“Yes, he’s tall, handsome,” Kandra said cheerily, nudging her brother forward while she murmured under her breath. “and conveniently in love with you.”
Ariki choked. “Kans!”
Harry, oblivious, frowned. “What was that last part?”
“Nothing!” Kandra said, waving it off. “Focus on the first two. He’s perfect for this.”
Ariki looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. Kandra just patted his head and started waving her hand muttering a spell and his honey-gold hair turned a dark blonde.
“It still looks like Ariki,” Harry said flatly. “Just… Ariki with bad highlights. Besides he’s supposed to have black hair”
Ariki mumbled something about looking like a rejected pop star, but Kandra ignored him undeterred. “Fine, we’ll tweak it.” She muttered another spell changing the hair and eye color and when she finished, she turned Ariki to face Harry with a triumphant flourish.
“Well?” she asked.
Harry squinted. “It’s still… him.” After a few more tweaks, Ariki looked… well, not quite like himself anymore. But it still wasn’t enough. “My parents will notice. His nose is the same, he still has his freckles, even that small one on his bottom lip—
Ariki flushed, instinctively brushing a finger over the freckle in question. “You noticed that?” he mumbled.
Kandra smirked. “Yeah Harry, you noticed that?”
Harry didn’t even catch the teasing tone. “Of course, I noticed. It’s right there. If my parents see it, the whole thing is blown.” He threw his hands up, pacing the room like a man on the verge of a breakdown. “This is impossible.”
Ariki shot Kandra a look that was equal parts mortified and pleading. She waved him off, mouthing, You’re fine. Then, louder, she said, “Okay, Harry, let’s think. What’s if we just don’t show his face”
Harry rolled his eyes. “What, are we putting him in a mask or something?”
“Yes.”
Harry blinked. “I was kidding.”
“I wasn’t," she said, already digging through a box in the corner of the room. Harry was pretty sure that box was the one used to store all of Bruen’s school play costumes.
Kandra pulled out a sleek purple mask and held it up triumphantly. “This is perfect!”
Ariki stared at her in disbelief. “You’re not serious. That’s from Callistair old–”
“Absolutely. Just let me change it a bit” Pretty soon the mask was black with golden scrolls along the border and two feathers, one scarlet and one purple, on the right side.
“This is ridiculous,” he said, taking the mask begrudgingly. “If you’re covering my face, why not just use a mannequin? You wouldn’t even need me!”
“Yes, but mannequins don’t blush every time Harry touches them, Riki.” Kandra whispered slyly, causing Ariki to nearly choke.
Harry, nodded not paying attention to Kandra’s words “Mannequins don’t look convincing in photos. You’re… animated. Realistic.” He gave Ariki a once-over, then adjusted the mask on his face. “Besides, you’re tall enough to fit the role. A mannequin wouldn’t work for this.”
Ariki’s ears burned, and he muttered something incoherent, tugging the mask over his face to hide the redness spreading across his cheeks.
With a flick of her hand, Kandra adjusted the mask to fit perfectly again. It was sleek, elegant, and just mysterious enough to sell the idea of a charming, unimaginary intended.
“There,” she said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. “Now you’re a dream. ”
Harry tilted his head, studying Ariki critically. “Okay, this could work.”
Kandra gasped theatrically. “Could work? Could work? Harry, he looks like a dark and brooding prince from a romantic drama! Your parents are going to swoon.”
Ariki shifted uncomfortably under their combined stares, tugging at the cuffs of his borrowed flexisuit. “I feel ridiculous.”
“Don’t worry you look great,” Harry said absentmindedly as he straightened Ariki’s hair.
Kandra stifled a laugh, hiding her grin behind the camera as she began setting up for the photos. “Alright, lovebirds, positions!”
Harry rolled his eyes. “Stop calling us that.”
“Just calling it like I see it,” Kandra said with a shrug. “Now, Harry put an arm around him. Ariki, try to look like you’re not about to combust.”
Ariki was already struggling to stay upright, every nerve in his body hyper-aware of Harry’s proximity. When Harry casually draped an arm over his shoulder, the contact nearly short-circuited his brain.
“Relax,” Harry said, he was standing on his tiptoes to reach Ariki’s shoulder. “You’re supposed to look like you like me.”
Ariki choked out a laugh. Not hard, he thought miserably, trying not to let the mask fog up from how warm his face felt. “Working on it.”
Kandra snickered as she took the first shot. “Looking good! Harry, tilt your head a bit. Ariki, maybe try not to look like you’re about to faint.”
“I’m fine,” Ariki said quickly, though his voice cracked halfway through.
“Uh-huh,” Kandra said knowingly.
Harry adjusted his position slightly, leaning into Ariki just enough to look natural. “This isn’t too awkward, is it?” he asked, genuinely concerned.
“N-not at all,” Ariki stammered, mentally cursing himself for being so obvious.
Kandra snapped another photo, biting her lip to keep from laughing. This was the best entertainment she’d had in weeks.
While Kandra finished editing the pictures, Harry paced the room, muttering. “This is insane. My parents are going to see right through it. Why did I think it was a good idea? I should have said he was in a position where revealing his identity would be problematic. Maybe he’s a monk! No, that’s weird—”
“Harry,” Kandra interrupted, pulling out a stack of scarves.
“What?”
“Stop pacing. You’re making me tired just looking at you.”
Harry groaned and flopped onto her bed, covering his face with his hands. “I’m doomed. They will know I’m lying, and Moony will give me that look —you know the one. Disappointed but not surprised.”
Kandra chuckled and tossed a scarf at him. “Well, that’s what you get for making up an intended. Next time, just say you’re single like the rest of us.”
Harry peeked out from behind his hands. “But then great-great aunt Cora starts asking if I’m lonely. She offers to set me up. Do you know how many weird family friends I’ve been introduced to at bonding ceremonies?”
Kandra cackled. “Fair enough. Now, shut up and help me find a place to print these”
August 13, 2108
Dear not-really-an-ACE Hadrian
One second thought, maybe I won’t have to explain it this year. Maybe I can get away with it and stretch this for a whole pre-hunt and maybe even farther. It’s all thanks to my friend Kandra, with her help and Riki’s we managed to make you a bit more real. I have to admit it’s convenient and my family it’s actually calmer now that they think I have an intended so I’ll be keeping you around.
Could it be they thought I wouldn’t be able to court someone? Well… I guess that accounting for the fact you’re a bit umm… imaginary they might be right.
But, the thing is that now I have a bit more leeway about refusing attempts at matchmaking because, you see, you are mad for me. And picky about who should be on your Circle. You’re completely besotted after a few chance meetings and flights at dawn over the sea. You made me many promises, I was a bit reluctant to accept them knowing we would be tested by the distance because of your training and your rank. But you swore to me that your heart is true and I…
And I should stop reading romance novels to Eros, I think.
Anyway, even though you surely know because well, it’s about you but I thought to remind you. You left your mask, the one you always use when doing gheyo business at my place and I thought I would send it to you since I have no use for it anymore. I’ve also attached a photo of “us”. We didn’t do a bad job, didn’t we? It’s almost as if you really existed.