Bonded Summoner

Book 9. Chapter 20: Starlit Meal with a Catgirl

Jake stood in the Refuge’s kitchen, utilizing his Expert Cooking skill to its fullest. He would rather not make anything overly heavy; it was the middle of the night, long past dinner but hours before dawn. Instead, he crafted a delicate, warm spread: a rich, creamy Highland-fowl bisque, perfectly seared and thinly sliced cuts of auril-beast tenderloin, and a sweet, berry-infused pastry for dessert.

He set the table in one of the Refuge's most serene locations: an indoor garden Tanda and Avalara had designed, right near the edge of a pristine lake. Jake tweaked the Refuge's ceiling projection, replacing the simulated light with a breathtaking, crystal-clear view of a starlit galaxy.

Jake had normalized his size to a much more reasonable six feet in height for the evening, close to his original height. Taller and much larger than the short and lithe Yona, to be sure, but no longer an impossible pairing. He was wearing a gray button-up and some black slacks, giving him a clean and slightly formal look.

Just as he finished pouring a pair of warm, spiced teas, he heard soft footsteps, though he felt her hearth much sooner than that.

Jake turned and smiled at what he saw. Fhesiah and Tanda had outdone themselves. Yona stepped into the starlight, wearing a flowing, elegant white dress that contrasted beautifully with her tanned skin. The fabric was traced with subtle, dark embroidery–an inverse of the black and white sun and moon patterns that marked the gray fur of her twin nekomata tails. Her short, gray bob perfectly framed her small, delicate face, and her deep, dark feline eyes were wide with a mix of nervous excitement and wonder.

“Wow,” Jake breathed, stepping forward to pull her chair out. “You look incredibly beautiful, Yona.”

A deep blush crept across her cheeks, and she smoothed the fabric of her skirt as she sat down, her feline ears twitching. “Thank you, and you look handsome as always. Faye said I couldn't wear my maid uniform to a date... Though I think she just wanted an excuse to play dress-up with me, nya.” She smiled at the end of that, thinking of how Fhesiah probably teased her.

“I'll have to thank her later,” Jake smiled, taking his seat across from her.

They ate in a comfortable, easy silence at first. Jake found himself just watching her. Yona ate daintily, taking small, appreciative bites and humming softly at the rich flavors. It wasn’t a ton of food, so even eating slowly, it wasn’t long until most of it was gone.Every so often, Yona’s dark eyes would drift away from the table, gazing out over the dark, perfectly still waters of the lake reflecting the projected stars above, and get a small smile on her face.“What are you looking at?” Jake asked gently, setting his fork down.

Yona blinked, her gaze returning to him with a warm smile. “Just the water. I was remembering the times we've brought the children out here. We usually play on the far shore, near the shallows where Timothy can splash and the treant babies can soak their roots. It's always so loud and full of life over there.” She looked around their secluded, quiet garden. “It makes sitting over here, just the two of us... feel incredibly special.”

Jake felt a profound warmth swell in his chest as he looked at her. As she looked back out at the water, his mind drifted over the last several years. Yona had been there for nearly every single milestone, quietly operating in the background.

She wasn't just a nanny or maid to everyone but had become an important family member. The woman went above and beyond the mere call of duty, playing and supporting the kids as she helped keep them entertained and active. Helping them decorate their personal areas or stir their artistic hearts, she did a lot more than just clean rooms, change diapers, or keep their stomachs full. Yona was the whole package, just like one of their mothers.

And when Fhesiah would inevitably blow up a cauldron or exhaust herself during a multi-day alchemy binge, it was Yona who was there with a soothing cup of tea and a cool cloth to help her relax. When Ophelia came back bruised and battered from the training yard, it was Yona who had a snack ready and helped her get all cleaned up.

Yona supported his family in ways that he wished he could be more able to and was somewhat envious about. But he could only be in one place at a time–at least for now. Her reassuring presence was always there, allowing them to achieve the things they sought to without giving anything up.

She kept the Refuge from falling apart while the rest of them waged a cosmic war. She was the soft, undeniable gravity that held the center of their home together. And sitting here across from her, basking in the quiet peace she naturally radiated, Jake realized just how much he truly cherished her.

“I know it took me a long time to do this,” Jake said softly, setting his cup down after taking a drink. “With the Rifts, the dungeon, the plotting... I haven't been fair to you. I didn't want to make a move when we were so distracted, but I should have made the time.”

Yona shook her head immediately, her hand reaching across the table to cover his. “Master, don't apologize. You've been carrying the weight of entire worlds. I haven't been suffering, I promise. Taking care of kids and the little treants... managing the Refuge while you all fight. That fulfills me and keeps me plenty busy and distracted. Being a part of the warmth and peace you all return to is exactly... where I want to be.”

She squeezed his hand, her dark eyes totally sincere. “Even if you had to go away to fight a war for years, I would be right here, tending the hearth, waiting for you. I’m happy.”

Jake felt a warmth and a bit of relief at that thought. That was incredibly reassuring, as it was a fear he and his wives all had. The first stage of the upcoming War Trial was likely to be a few short events, no more than a couple of months each at most. This was meant to reduce the vast pool of participants, like the first few rounds of a tournament. The second stage could have many battles and take decades, and whether they would have access to their Refuge during each individual one or not would sort of depend.

For example, the Celestial Nexus Battleground that Fhesiah went to did not have it, as it was a competitive long-term challenge. Thankfully, it also had time dilation to counter the blow somewhat. And as a Count, if anyone would have full access to their Refuge during the challenge, it would likely be him. The Alliance Lords would have the most privileges and creature comforts.

Jake followed a different part of the topic. “The kids absolutely adore you, you know. They see you as their mother in all but name.”

Yona’s smile grew teary. “I know. And they are my kittens. I love them with all my heart.” She paused, her twin tails curling around her chair legs. “Actually... I've been thinking about that. About us. Ava is with seed right now, and the Refuge is going to be very busy with new babies soon enough.”

Jake chuckled. “It is. Does that worry you? There are already so many children here, after all. And you know Berri has been talking about having some as soon as we finish that last Dungeon Raid. And if it were up to her, there would be no limit or stopping.”

“No, it excites me!” she beamed. “Your older children don’t need that much help anymore, and they are helping instead! I know Rena and Nora both can’t wait for a few more little sisters and brothers to take care of and have fun with! They all are.”

He knew that was true. He asked, “What about your children? Much like Ava, you don’t have to worry about whether there is a battle coming up. You can become a mother of your own whenever you’re...we’re ready,” he corrected gently.

Yona’s blush deepened, and she ducked her head slightly, suddenly looking a bit sheepish. “I know it's incredibly forward of me to talk about this tonight, on our very first real date. But... we've lived together for a long time, and I know what I want.”

“It's not too forward,” Jake assured her, reaching across the table. “I accepted you as my potential mate, Yona. I want to know what you're thinking.”

She offered a grateful smile. “I think... I want to wait a little while before we have our own. I know how much you value being there for the children. You always make time for them, but with the War Trial looming and the Raids taking so much of your focus, I don't want you to feel stressed or like you might miss out on those first few months if things don’t happen a certain way. I want you to be able to enjoy it completely.”

Jake’s heart melted at the sheer selflessness of it. She wasn't just thinking of herself or the family as a whole; she was actively trying to protect his peace of mind.

“So,” Yona continued, her tails swishing a bit more confidently now. “I was thinking... maybe when Bloodberri is ready for her next cycle, I could join her? That way, you wouldn't be pulled in too many directions, and our babies would have siblings exactly their age to play with. A proper little clan family, just like the other times.”

Jake smiled warmly, remembering the times his wives all got together with the same ideas and goals. “You're amazing, Yona. We can do exactly that. Is that how the Celestial Nekomata do it with their litters?”

“They do! The lunar cycle on our world, along with the seasons, usually decides when it’s mating season. And then the mothers-to-be all go into heat at around the same time.”

Yona looked down at their joined hands, her smile turning a little fragile. The starlight reflected in her tea, and she took a slow, centering breath. “Master... can I ask you something? About the Hearth Bond.”

“Anything.”

“I... I want to join you and everyone else with this special bond. But I've been a little... afraid.” She looked up, her expression vulnerable. “You know my heritage. I am a nekomata. We are predators by nature, and hunting for a meal is one thing, but... I never wanted any part in war or fighting sapient beings for dominance.”

She absently traced the rim of her teacup. “When I lived among my mother’s kin, the bestial nekomata used their moonlight magic to silence or hide their footsteps for an ambush. Or called upon starlight to alter their fate and strike a critical, blinding blow. But I didn't. I used the moonlight to weave a veil of obfuscation, allowing me to walk past a territorial dispute completely unseen. I used the starlight to guide my feet to a hunt that was already over, where the kill was too large and I could safely share in the scraps, or to find a hidden treasure in the woods to trade for a meal.”

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Yona looked away, her ears drooping slightly. “They looked down on me for it. They thought I chose to hide only because my human blood made me too physically weak to choose to fight, that I failed in sharpening my claws. In their eyes, because I wasn't talented in healing like the clan's medics, my choice to avoid conflict was cowardice. I was just making do, making no effort to rise.”

Jake’s grip on her hand tightened, a protective surge of his aura flaring before he consciously dialed it back. And of course, he knew that her becoming a priestess of Bastet had changed this. Now, she could heal using her special brand of magic.

She continued, “When you took me in, let me be a maid, let me care for your lovely children and serve Bastet... it was the first time I felt useful,” Yona whispered. “Like I truly belonged somewhere. But your wives... they are so fierce. Ophelia is the vanguard, Tanda is an avenger and true hunter, and Fhesiah and Blood are conquerors. In the mental link, I bet they are always thinking of the next battle, the next enemy, and the next way to gain strength.”

That...wasn’t a completely inaccurate guess, he thought.

She looked away, a tear shimmering on her lashes. “And I know they mean well when they try to change my mind. Bree tells me I need to be ready, that I need to sharpen my magic into a weapon. And in the end... I know they are right. There can come a time when one must bare their claws, and if those claws aren’t sharp when that moment arrives, then they are dead, food for the enemy instead. How could I disagree? My people and their entire world would have been erased if Fhesiah hadn’t arrived in that Battleground with her very sharp, draconic claws.”

She squeezed his hands, her golden eyes looking back up to meet his, filled with a fierce, trembling vulnerability.

“My kin were right back then,” she admitted softly. “Maybe I originally chose to hide because I was physically weak. But it isn't just about weakness anymore, Master. I've watched you and your family. I see the home you are fighting so hard to build and have met the many visitors whose hearts you have touched in more ways than one, in addition to saving them. I don't want to change who I am to survive the multiverse; I want to believe in the peace you wish to create there.”

Her twin tails wrapped gently around his wrists. “I know my connection to Bastet–these flames of the moon and stars I've been cultivating–are unique. But I don't want them to be just a weapon. I want them to be your strength, your assurance. I want to be your sanctuary. But I've been afraid to solidify my Cultivator Core and join the bond because... what if they look at me the way my kin did? What if my peace is somehow a burden in the link? What if my refusal to be a weapon holds you all back? They mentioned... a synchronicity.”

Jake stood up, walking around the table. He gently pulled Yona to her feet and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close as he sat down in her place with her on his lap. She rested her hands on his chest, right over his Void-Divine Hearth.

“Yona, the only reason I fight these monsters is to carve out a place where peace can exist–a true home.” Jake said, his voice low. “If all of you had to become bloodthirsty warriors just to survive, then I would have failed as a husband, and no doubt as a father to my children. You and your path aren't a burden. You are the entire point.”

He leaned his forehead against hers. “I don't want you and your flames to be a weapon. I want you to be exactly who you are: our sanctuary. The unshakeable peace we are fighting so hard to protect.”

He pulled back and offered a reassuring smile. “And honestly? If our weapons and flames aren't enough to win a fight, adding one more fighter or fire to the mix won't turn the tide. At that point, the only way we survive is by slipping away unnoticed. Your moonlight veils, your starlight... that isn't a weakness, Yona. It's a lifeline that’s perfect for our home, hearth, and children. I believe in your path, and I know it will protect our family just as fiercely as any blade.”

Yona let out a shaky breath, the tears finally slipping down her cheeks. As Jake’s absolute, unwavering acceptance washed over her, something deep within her spirit clicked into place. The doubts and fears that had been stalling her cultivation completely evaporated. She didn't need to prove her worth through violence; her sanctuary was her worth, the space for it carved out from Jake and Clan Hart’s efforts.

Jake felt it immediately and saw it through his Umbral Gaze. Her faith energy, aligned with Bastet, surged. Flames of twilight, moonlight, and starlight ignited within her Dantian. But they weren't hot or destructive. They were incredibly soothing. Her Dao–her path of Sanctuary, Peace, and the Hidden Hearth and Den–solidified. She had found her truth.

A profound, cooling calm radiated from her, washing over Jake's soul. He allowed it to seep into his Void-Divine Hearth, wrapping around the ancient, hungry void within him like a soft, heavy blanket. The eternal tension Jake carried in his shoulders completely melted away, and he knew this was just temporary for now–permanent once they made their true connection.

Jake couldn’t help but be shocked at this level of epiphany for a moment. But then he remembered how Fhesiah had given Yona tons of cultivator materials to use from their vault, including expensive Source and void-adjacent materials she had bought originally for Jake, but he hadn’t connected with. He didn’t just allow his void to eat everything that didn’t work out, exactly.

Likely, Yona had long ago had these epiphanies about the moon and the stars and her flames, but only now had the resolve to make them a part of her forever.

Jake could feel her emotions surge over their bond, the gratitude and affection she had for him, along with all the relief that went along with being accepted.

“Thank you so much for seeing value in me, in my path. I love you so much, Master,” she whispered, her originally dark eyes brightening with starlight, as if from her newly advanced Dao.

“You’ve been a part of this family for years. I couldn’t imagine my home without you now. I love you too, Yona.”

Their lips met, her tails wrapping around him as she sank deep into his embrace. The hunger and desire for her only increased as he felt her warmth and soft touch, her tender lips inviting him deeper. A gentle purr came from her throat as she moaned, her hands starting to roam his muscled body.

Their hearths flickered as they touched on the spiritual plane, her loving, caring personality enveloping his. Her flames covered his like a veil, and he could feel something special from their connection, though not permanent at this moment. He had ignored the notifications, but he knew their bond had reached the fifth level, and as he had said–he couldn’t imagine his home without her now. He wanted to make her his.

With a flash of his will, Jake manifested the All Hearts as One necklace in his hand from his Storage Ring. He had modified this one specifically for her. It was a stone made of a moonstone encased in a porous onyx, the stone peeking through, emanating an otherworldly light. It looked like stars in the night sky.

The girl did often wear a choker as a part of her maid outfit, but the new version of the item was alive, so she could change it from a necklace to a choker when she felt like it. The vines felt almost delicate, but it was practically humming with protective enchantments.

He unclasped it and stepped behind her, gently sweeping her thick gray hair with suns, stars, and moons to the side. As he laid the material against her neck and fastened the clasp, his desire for her reached an absolute crescendo.

Knowing her desire to bond with their hearths connected, Jake didn't wait for the universe or the Framework to align it. Having begun to truly understand the depths of his bloodline after his time with Sati, Jake extended his will with deliberate, possessive intent. An umbral, spiritual tentacle of pure void shot out from his core, tenderly but firmly wrapping around her soul at the center of her being, claiming her as his own, and trading pieces of their soul.

The Hearth Bond snapped into place, permanent and absolute.

Instantly, the mental link opened to her. Yona braced herself, expecting the chaotic, warlike pressure she had feared. Instead, she was met with a profound, gentle warmth.

[Welcome to the hearth and your den, Yona,] Fhesiah’s voice purred softly across the connection, stripped of all her usual teasing.

[Your peace has always been beautiful. We've got the perimeter; you just keep the hearth warm,] Ophelia added, projecting a feeling of absolute, unbreakable shielding. Even Bree sent a quiet wave of genuine, respectful acceptance. They weren't judging her; they were rejoicing in her sanctuary.

In joyful response to their absolute acceptance and Jake's claim, Yona's faith energy surged. A brilliant cloak of twilight, moonlight, and starlight–the fate and destiny flames of Bastet–rushed back across the new bond. The shimmering, starry veil wrapped tightly around Jake's Void-Divine Hearth in a protective, comforting embrace.

“All hearts as one,” Jake murmured the item's name under his breath, basking in the profound peace of their connection.

And in that exact instant, a stroke of pure, unadulterated luck hit him–a sudden flash of inspiration directly guided by the starlight and fate her hearth had just enveloped him with.

All hearts. He had been sitting in his lab for hours, agonizing over how he was going to power the massive Domain Array of the crystal skull all by himself. But he was the Nexus. If the array was linked to the necklaces, it didn't just have to push the protection outward. It could draw their strength inward and wrap around them with his Presence.

If every wife wearing the necklace sacrificed a portion of their energy and its regeneration to his Hearth, the astronomical cost of the interplanar sanctuary would be effortlessly distributed among the entire family. It would be as if each of his wives were Array Flags and his sanctuary was the Mana Font.

The only time the item wouldn't be at its absolute peak was if he or his wives were completely isolated in a formal duel or other zone, where he could choose to use it or not.

But that was only half the problem solved. The other issue with the skull and hearth was the massive interplanar target it likely painted. His enemies would always know right where to find him when he had it out and would target his family with unerring precision.

Then, as Yona's unique, obscuring magic continued to hum across their fresh link, a secondary realization bloomed in his mind. Obscurity. Moonlight veils. Starlight guidance. Her fate and destiny flames had just naturally hidden his hearth's immense pressure beneath a soothing, starry blanket.

If he wove her specific Bastet-aligned signature–the concept of the Hidden Den–into the array, it would cloak their massive planar footprint from esoteric scrying. The energy cost of trying to make the item stealthy would plummet even further because the array wouldn't be fighting the universe's attention; it would simply be slipping beneath its notice.

Of course, the runic law of the covenant would demand a strict balance. A home was a place of defense, not a hunting blind. He would have to write the law so that the obfuscation could only hide them from being targeted from afar, not help them attack with a hidden dagger. But that was precisely what they needed.

She wasn't just his peace; her very presence, her luck, and her Dao had just handed him the final keys to protecting their family from the heavens themselves.

Jake chuckled, a sound of pure relief and joy rumbling in his chest.

“What is it?” Yona asked, turning around in his arms, her hands resting gently on the necklace against her chest with a wide smile. She was more basking in the feeling of the connection, her eyes unfocused. The flames of his family had arrived inside the hearth in her Dantian, so she had a lot of changes that were new.

“Nothing,” Jake smiled, his eyes dark with a sudden, overwhelming surge of desire. The tension of his work was entirely gone, replaced by the beautiful woman looking up at him. “Just realizing how incredibly lucky I am.”

He didn't give her a chance to ask anything else. Jake leaned down and captured her lips. Yona melted against him instantly, her arms wrapping tight around his neck as her two tails coiled happily around his leg. The kiss was deep, slow, and devoid of the frantic urgency of war. It was a promise of home.

Without breaking the kiss, Jake effortlessly lifted her into his arms. Yona gasped softly against his mouth, her heart fluttering wildly against his chest as they conferred about where they would want to have their first union.

Tonight, the war didn't exist. There was only the sanctuary they had built together.