Page 143 of Echoes of the Banshee

He does notice hers.

Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy, like she’d cried all night. She doesn’t talk as we walk and he keeps glancing over to check on her. The only reason I notice is because I’m doing the same thing.

Was the kiss that bad?

No. Stop making it about yourself Mavrik.

After warmups, I decide to make myself scarce anyway and head to train with Bernard. His hyena loves to chase my shadows and Bernard hates it because whenever we fight he’s of two minds. Which is why he loves to fight me, because it makes him work on something he doesn’t normally have to fight with.

When I take off my jacket, Bernard’s eyes get huge.

“What’s that?” He points to my arm.

My brand. What the hell?

“Shit, it’s not what you think,” I lie. “I gotta go.”

I run from the gym and pull out my phone. My father doesn’t answer. Neither does my mom. I’m already on the nightblind side of the school, so I race to Mavis’ dorm. Trying to keep calm as she answers the door. She looks a mess, hair sticking up in places it shouldn’t.

“What do you want?” she snaps as a greeting.

“I think something happened to Father,” I explain and show her my brand.

“The illusion is gone?”

“Yes!” I practically shout. She grabs my arm and pulls me into her room. Moving with an urgency now. The only way that the illusion hiding my brand could fail is if he was dead.

She calls him twice. The worry evident on her face when she looks at me.

“It’s early, maybe they’re asleep.”

“Caelum wakes up early,” I suggest. “Do you have his number?”

“No, but I have the maids!” She dials quickly.

“Amelia,” Mavis greets. “I need you to go check on my parents, they aren’t answering.”

We both wait, ears pressed as close to the phone as is possible without us touching. The knock sounds.

“Mr. Merritt,” Amelia calls out.

“What?” Father yells out and I let out a breath of relief. I don’t listen as she explains and then as Mavis talks to him. When the phone is passed to me I brace myself.

“The illusion is gone?” he asks like that wasn’t the whole reason we called.

“Yes.”

“Did anyone see it?” The important question, concealment.

“A shifter in combat,” he growls under his breath.

“Do you think he’ll talk?” Father asks.

“No, he’s a werehyena, they’re death adjacent,” I explain.

“Good. I don’t know when I can get there to cast a new spell. If I skip my meeting this morning I can drive up.”

The scythe brand stares at me from my wrist. I pull on my rarely used magic and hide it.