Page 9 of Forging Bonds: Part One

I shrug, "To be honest, I'm probably the most likely of us to forget how to do the whistle if I leave it for too long anyway, so I'm good with going first."

"Wait, should you tell House?" Ransom asks, just as I'm about to start, "It's quite protective of you, we don't want it smiting the kelpies or something."

"Is House even capable of that?" Doc asks, looking more intrigued than worried.

Ransom shrugs, "I have no idea, but I don't think we should risk it."

"Yeah, I have a feeling that even we would be surprised about what House is really capable of," Griff agrees. "I think it's best not to find that out when what we're calling to us is a friend and not something attacking."

"Yeah, I think that's probably a good idea," I reply.

It is entirely likely that House would do something if it thinks that I am under threat. I don't know whether it's capable of doing something if we are in the yard since its magic hasn't extended this far to fix the grounds, but I do know that it is capable of protecting the building. That was proven the very first night when I found this place when it protected me and attacked the supes that were after me.

"You had better warn House and Ethel just in case. I mean, we have no idea what she's capable of either," Van agrees with everyone else.

I smirk, "Yeah, I think she likes to pretend that she's nothing more than a talking skull, but she definitely knows more than she lets on."

"I completely agree with that, and I haven't even known her for that long. I would say that she definitely knows things. Lots and lots of things. She won'teven tell you why she is in the house in the first place. I think that's a dead giveaway," Doc says.

"Exactly, it's why I love her," I reply. "Alright, give me a minute, and I'll go back and tell House and Ethel what we're up to."

The guys nod, and as I walk away, I hear them all start to throw around theories on who they think Ethel really is and what she's capable of. Some of the suggestions are really out there. For example, Ransom suggested that she may be an alien, and then River just ran with the idea. By the time that I get to the front door, I'm smiling. I head into the kitchen to talk to Ethel since I feel like it would be a bit weird to just yell from the hallway, and House can hear me no matter where I am.

"Come to say goodbye again?" She asks me as soon as I walk into the kitchen.

I have no idea how she knows that I'm here since she doesn't technically have eyes and is just a skull, but I have sort of just always assumed that it's magic, and I don't question it, which is what I do for most things when it comes to this magical house of mine that's not technically mine.

"We're not leaving just yet." I pause, I probably need to fill both of them in a bit before I just say that the kelpies are coming. "We're all bonded to kelpies, and since we're here, we wanted to see if we could call them. I just wanted to warn you and House so you didn't think that something was attacking us and do something about it."

"We would have absolutely done something about it if we thought that you were being attacked," Ethel confirms with amusement in her voice while House bangs doors somewhere else. "I am entirely unsurprised that you have a kelpie bonded to you, Dear. Have fun, and don't forget to come and say goodbye to us before you go."

"Of course," I say with a smile as I turn on my heel and once again head for the door.

I jog down the steps and back over to the guys, repeating the whistle in my head as I make my way over. I am really worried that I'm going to forget it.

"All sorted?" Van asks.

I nod, "Yeah. She said that they definitely would have done something about it if they thought that we were being attacked, so I think that it was the right call to tell them that the kelpies were coming."

"We hope they are," River adds.

"Well, yeah. Sully said that when a bond is new they don't always respond to the whistle," Raiden says, and then looking excited adds, "there's only one way to find out. Come on, Neith, give it your best shot."

I grin, catching his enthusiasm quickly, "Do you think it really is as simple as just whistling?"

Doc shrugs, "That's what Sully said to do."

"I imagine that it would be a good idea to put some intention behind it," Ransom replies since he is the one who is used to doing this kind of spell work and magic as a warlock. When I look confused, he adds, "So instead of just whistling, make sure that you are whistling because you want to call your kelpie. Does that make sense?"

Understanding dawns on me, and I nod, "Yep, that makes sense. Let's give this a shot."

It's a good job that I'm not a shy person because they all fall silent and watch me intently, and if I were someone who didn't like being the center of attention, it would freak me out, and I wouldn't be able to whistle anyway.

Thanks to that very unnecessary thought, I realize that I'm actually a lot more nervous than I would like to admit.

I take a breath as I find my center, and not for the first time do I feel something that I'm calling my magic stir within me and answer my call. It doesn't come to me completely, and it still feels like it is well and truly buried, but every time that I feel it, I feel reassured that there really is somethingsupernatural about me and that there always has been. I know that may seem a bit ridiculous, but after being told my whole life that I was human, even when I did or experienced things that no human would, it has left fear behind, and now I don't think I will fully believe it until I have irrefutable proof. So that little flicker that appears every time that I call for it gives me the small reassurance that I need and stops me from spiraling.

As soon as I feel like I am properly focused on Mael and the kelpies and my intentions, I whistle.

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