Page 66 of Echoes of the Banshee

Still friends, then. I can hear it. It’s strange. How happy that makes me. I study him as we talk about nothing, but I find no sign of rejection on his face. We finish our breakfasts and slide out the booth as Zair reaches down and grabs my bag. His fingers curl around the straps, his posture exaggerated as he makes a dramatic complaint about its weight, saying it would break my back.

My morning passes by comfortably. After the test, I head to English where I avoid Anita and make jokes with Fable.

Once class is done, I’m walking down the stairs when I spot a familiar mop of green hair emerging from a classroom. His eyes meet mine and he throws an exaggerated wave.

“Hey, complete ass!” he yells.

I smirk.

Think you can embarrass me?

Please.

Benson

Rock, Paper, Happiness?

My entire English class I spend thinking about dinner last night. Dylan was starting to get worried about Zair and wanted to check this witch out. I pushed all my feelings aside and joined him. Shoving Zair harder than necessary after Dylan drew the short straw and had to be the one to touch the witch. I finally understand ‘the lady doth protest too much.’ Guess I am learning something in English.

But then she threatened to scalp me with a goblin blade and I don’t think I’ve ever been so turned on. Goblins love fire, and I’ve never met someone who burned so brightly.

Someone bumps into my shoulder as I wait inside the doorway for Thea to come down the stairs. She blends in better in this school than in Otherfell. Maybe that was why I hadn’t realized she was a witch. I’d never seen one who didn’t wear heels all the time.

Her Converse appear and I step out, raising my hand to call her over.

“Hey, complete ass!”

“Human sandwich,” she calls back. “You look a little past your expiration. Definitely moldy.”

“I’m not moldy!” I reply full of indignation. “Just waiting for the right partners.”

She glances around and then settles on a blonde nightblind in blue. “You free to be his buns, or is that too much meat to handle?”

The guy takes a slow, deliberate look at me, then raises an eyebrow in offer. My ears heat up as I reach out and grab her arm and pull her outside.

“Er, Benson, my arm.”

Did I grab too tight, did I hurt her? “Shit, sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?” she asks. “You just let me curse you with matching hair.”

“What!” I fumble with my phone. Looking at my reflection and I’m relieved to have my normal green. I hate looking human. I glare at her as she barely smothers her laughter.

“Not into blondes?” she teases.

“You’re impossible.” I huff out a laugh. “Besides, he was nightblind.”

“That wasn’t a no,” she jokes.

“I like darker hair.” I can’t stop my eyes flickering to the braid over her shoulder. Yes, that color. “And goblins don’t mess with human men.”

“That’s fair, I don’t recommend them.” I snort despite myself. “Can’t even curse them into being halfway decent.”

“So are you a witch that can curse?” I ask, and not even because I’m scared.

“All witches can curse,” she says as we pass the library and into Otherfell.

I frown. “Zair said he can’t.”