Page 26 of Echoes of the Banshee

I nudge him lightly with my elbow. “Oh, come on, tall, dark, and mysterious. Tell them you can make it night at any time. And if they’re lucky, you’ll even make them see stars.”

The silence stretches between us, and for a moment I’m certain I’ve gone too far. Then Mavrik laughs. It spills out of him, sudden and loud, rustling through the greenhouse like a gust of wind.

Everyone falls silent as their heads turn. No one quite knows what to do with the sound. I don’t think anyone has ever heard him laugh before. He cuts himself off, suddenly aware of every eye on him. He retreats slightly, eyes scanning the room, already fading into the shadows.

I chuckle nervously, trying to cover the awkwardness. “Well, that was… a surprise.”

Mavrik glances at me, a soft, almost apologetic smile tugging at his lips. “Yeah, didn’t mean to… do that.”

I nudge him lightly again. “It wouldn’t have been so funny if you had.”

Mavrik runs a hand through his long dark hair, but his mouth twitches again, this time a real smile sneaking onto his face. He meets my eyes for a second, and I swear I see something new there. Amusement? Maybe mixed with embarrassment. His posture softens, and I feel like we’ve crossed some unspoken line.

Before we can say anything else, Professor Tennant strides over, heels clicking sharply on the floor. She eyes us both with a scrutinizing gaze. For a moment, I brace myself for a lecture, but then her lips twitch, and a grin creeps onto her face.

“Alright, Thea,” she says, lifting a finger in the air. “I was going to give you an A for your magic display today, but… since you managed to make Mavrik laugh, I’m giving you an A for the semester.” She punctuates it with a dramatic flourish. “Seriously, in three years, I’ve never even heard a chuckle from him, and I’m hilarious!”

Mavrik’s voice is deadpan, but there’s a glint in his eyes. “You, funny? Guess I’ve been doing this whole ‘laughter’ thing all wrong.” The professor raises an eyebrow.

“Well, I’m glad you’re enjoying the show. But seriously, Thea, I think you’re in the right class.” She turns to Mavrik. “Would you be willing to give her a hand? Your magic might have some things in common.”

“I’m no expert,” he says, a little sheepish. “Still figuring it out myself.”

I blink, caught off guard. “Wait, you think I have shadow magic?”

Tennant shakes her head. “No, but I think you’ve got a certain... vibe. Your magic’s connected to something else. You might want to explore that further.”

I swallow.

“Uh, what does that even mean?”

She lowers her voice conspiratorially. “It’s rare. And that’s why I think Mavrik might be able to help.”

“I’ll try.” Mavrik shrugs again.

“I’m up for learning,” I say with a grin.

Tennant gives us a knowing look, her eyes twinkling as she leaves us to stand there. “You two make an interesting pair,” she says, walking away.

Mavrik looks at me. “So… yeah,” he says, clearly at a loss for words.

I laugh, relieved. “I think you might be worse at conversations than I am.”

Mavrik cocks an eyebrow, then that slight, hesitant smile pulls at the corners of his lips. “Yeah, I guess so. Glad I started this chat, though.”

I grin back at him. “Me too.”

Class wraps up and I gather my things and head toward the door. I start the short walk to the cafeteria when my phone buzzes in my pocket.

Vivien. Of course.

The seventh call. The seventh. Her name flashes across the screen, bold and unrelenting, an omen I can’t ignore. Vivien, Anita’s mother, my high priestess, and the woman who raised me with a very clear agenda. Not love. Never love. Instead, a long game of control. Construct me, hollow me out, then steal what mattered most.

I swipe the screen, taking the call, knowing full well it’s only the beginning of another storm.

Thea

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