Page 36 of Echoes of the Banshee

“It won’t be that bad. You can protect me.”

“From Violet?” She wiggles her eyebrows at me.

“Please, I’m begging you,” I joke.

She smiles at me genuinely and I’m lost. I sit back down.

“They won’t realize I’m missing.”

Twenty missed calls later I walk her to her dorm.

“Hey, don’t forget about my game tomorrow,” I call after her.

Thea

The Weakest Witch Workout Plan

Zair shows up in the nook around five.

“Hey,” I greet without looking up, not wanting to lose my place.

“Why didn’t you come?” he asks, sitting down beside me.

“Come where?” I grab my phone. Nothing.

“To the game.” I look at him. His hair is still wet like he just came from the shower. “I invited you last night.”

“You did?” He looks at me as I try to remember. “You told me you had a game so you wouldn’t come for your bag until late.”

He smacks his hand to his forehead.

“What?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Nothing.”

I purse my lips as I try to figure it out. But draw a blank. Ten minutes later, his phone starts ringing.

“I don’t think you’re getting out of it,” I tell him.

“I know. See you tomorrow?”

“Goodnight.”

The next morning, I add my eighth tally to the wall. I’m glad I’d switched into Combat Magic. The first week kicked my ass, but it was amazing. Coach kept throwing challenges at me, probably trying to get me to quit. And sure, I got a busted lip and some bruises along the way, but to me, those felt like small victories. Little does Coach know, a broken bone would barely register as a minor injury to me anymore. It feels good to use my body again. It wasn’t this body, but months trapped in a dungeon have made me antsy. I need to move.

“Alright, listen up!” Coach’s booming voice cuts through the air, and the class falls silent. “Today, we’re going to focus on combining physical combat with your magic. Pair up.”

Excitement competes with the certainty that I’m going to fail. But I’m here, and I’m determined. As the students begin pairing off, I make my way to the front to check in with Coach and see what he has in store for me today.

“You came back.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” I give him my biggest smile.

“Well, if you’re set on sticking around, we’ll need to find someone to teach you the basics.” He starts scanning the room for someone to pair me with.

“I’ll help her.”

Mavrik approaches us and Coach raises an eyebrow. “You?” he asks, looking Mavrik up and down as if assessing him for the first time.