"Bones", the Madame's mysterious friend, went back where he came from as suddenly as he had arrived. Madame Delfoart awoke that evening to find him gone, as well as all of the cigars in the house. He had left her a cryptic present, however - a large, glossy black raven with clever eyes. A quick note in Bones' traditional scrawl read, "His name is Brix."

Madame Kiki held out a cautious hand, ready to pull it back if the bird tried to eat her fingers. But the bird hopped onto her wrist like a trained falcon, holding her arm in its splayed talons while it looked curiously into her eyes. There was a strange and disorienting flash, as if the Madame was simultaneously looking at herself and her new raven.

The eyes of Brix were now the luminescent green of hers when she was caught in the throes of death-magic. She checked her pocket mirror and yes, her own eyes were raven black, so dark the whites looked almost blue. She closed her eyes, and saw herself again, her vision taking on a richness that made light and shadow into a sort of charcoal-drawing. She concentrated, and was able to look to the left. She opened her eyes quickly and saw from both angles for just an instant.

She would have to practice to learn this trick of double vision, and she suspected her new familiar had other powers yet to be discovered. Quite a gift. "Welcome, Brix," she said.

"Brix is brax," the raven said briskly, rather than the 'quork' noise she had been expecting. Kiki, unsure of what she had heard, said, "You... can talk?"

"Better than you, apparently," said the raven primly. He added, "I am not precisely a raven." He nodded his beak. "I'll explain everything. You'd better be sitting down for this." Kiki sat down as he began his story, and was glad she had followed his advice. A very interesting pet, indeed....