Page 65 of Echoes of the Banshee

“Twice?” His laugh is dry, with a touch of incredulity.

“If you’re supposed to foretell doom, any chance you can tell me if we’re getting out of here?”

“Hmm. Ya know, me visions are a little fuzzy on that one. But I can tell ya one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Ya already doomed to put up with me.” And against all reason. I let out a laugh. “And that, love, is a fate worse than any prison. They’re cruel bastards, but we’re tougher. At least, I hope ya are.”

I hear myself swallow, but can’t make myself respond.

“But don’t worry. Misery loves company, and ya got me.”

I can’t help it. Ignoring the growing panic, I shoot back, “Yeah, because that’s such a comforting thought.”

He lets out a short laugh, but there’s no warmth in it. “Ya got no idea.”

“I know what you’re doing,” I tell him. “Thank you. My name is Theadora.”

“It’s nice to meet ya, Thea,” he replies. “Wish it was under better circumstances, love.”

“Same to you, Lazlo,” I say, the name feeling oddly familiar on my tongue.

I jolt upright in bed, tears already falling, soaking into the blanket. The dorm is too quiet, too clean, too real. How the hell does that prison cell feel more like home than this room? Than this life?

The memory wasn’t enough. I want to go back. Maybe I should just let them take me again, just to spend more time with Lazlo.

No. I can’t.

It’s morning.

Another day.

Another Tally.

Another chance to figure this out.

Combat magic is harder than normal this morning, group drills that look like a war movie montage. Zair didn’t approach me, confirming that whatever friendship we had was officially over. I shower off the disappointment before heading to what‘ll be a solitary breakfast. I grab my usual filling fare and make my way to my usual corner seat. Only, this morning feels anything but usual. I pull out my notebook, hoping it’ll make me look studious instead of pathetic for eating alone.

That never bothered me before.

“Morning,” Zair says, setting his plate down and sliding into the booth across from me. His movements are almost too relaxed, as though the weight of last night has been entirely forgotten.

“Morning,” I reply, unsure what this is.

“Man, Coach was hard on us this morning, I didn’t even get a chance to say hello.”

“Yeah. It was a hard class,” I respond, but my heart isn’t in it.

“Anything exciting happening today?” he asks. Is he going to pretend like nothing happened? I mean, I guess that’s better than any alternative I’ve come up with.

“I have a test in my calculus class. Should be easy, so I’ll get a mostly free period,” I tell him, carefully closing my notebook and setting it aside as casually as I can.

“Let me guess you’ll be in the library during that time.” His smirk is playful, his tone light.

“Too long of a walk,” I reply, grinning as I gesture to my overstuffed backpack. “I brought the library with me.”

He laughs, shaking his head. “I am so not carrying that today.”