Page 40 of Echoes of the Banshee

“I’m trying to help you, you look awful. Stop by the market today if you can’t cast anything yourself.”

She stands, straightens herself, gives me a pitying look, and heads back to her seat. A shifter with dark side bangs slides into the seat beside me.

“You okay?”

“Yes.” I offer her a small smile.

“Why they insist we all fit into the same mold is beyond me,” she says as she adjusts her fishnets nervously.

“Because they’re vapid and plain and can’t imagine a life with anything resembling a personality.”

The girl coughs, covering her mouth as she attempts to cover her laugh.

“That was vicious.”

The teacher walks in, a shifter who scowls at us. We both giggle.

“Why thank you.” I smile at her. “I’m Thea.”

“Fable.” We continue to whisper through class until the teacher turns and stares at us again. We both snicker. “Class, I think it’s time for a pop quiz.” Everyone groans and takes out a piece of paper, shooting daggers in our direction.

We’re going to get in a lot of trouble this semester.

The rest of the day passes quickly. The next afternoon, as I sit in Advanced Curses my phone vibrates.

GhostChat pops up.

Prof-Tea:

Misfits in Stine Building. Room 6.

MarkedMan:

Pass

Roomba:

Pass

Six more passes come in.

Strange.

I look up the Stine Building and it’s the building that houses the nurse. Oh. They’re probably going to have us do healing.

That won’t go well.

When my class is over, I make my way there, head in the side door, and look for room six. I have to stop and ask for directions and am a few minutes late when I find it in the basement.

The sign says morgue.

Fucking wonderful.

A dozen school officials are talking inside the door. I move past them and push my way inside. Professor Tennant gestures me towards some benches before turning to look through a glass window.

Vero is on the other side of the glass, standing over a body. I back up and take a seat without looking away. There’s a weird burn around his head.

“You okay, Little Firefly?” Mavrik whispers, scooting into the seat behind me.