"What kind of dream was that?"
Shade rarely had dreams that remained so clear after he woke up. When a Ring Arcanist encountered something like this, they had to wonder whether it was some special case like a "precognitive dream." The last time this had happened was when he had first arrived in Randall River Valley and dreamed of riding a cat toward the Sun.
"So, did I foresee myself encountering the God of Vampires again, running into Night Manor again, or Mia turning into a glowing golden-maned lion?"
Shade muttered softly as he grasped the cat around the waist and lifted her up. Little Mia struggled symbolically twice before meekly going still. Only then did Shade realize that, in the dream's final scene, where Big Mia had slapped him in the chest with a paw, this cat had most likely noticed something wrong with his expression while he slept and jumped onto his chest.
That also explained why, when Shade woke with a start, Mia had rolled off his chest.
"I'm really sorry. I have to take you out on an adventure tonight. I'm really sorry."
He whispered to Miss Goode's cat, but the orange-and-white kitten merely meowed obediently a few times, as though she were comforting Shade instead.
The Outlander felt that this world truly treated him gently.
Since he had risen half an hour earlier than usual, Shade had time to wash up slowly and run through tonight's plan in his mind once more. Only at half past six did he go downstairs to collect the newspaper and goat milk from the door, beginning today's breakfast.
He had originally intended to head to Randall River Valley early, discuss the plan with the Witches again, and then fulfill his promise to Siris. But packing what he needed last