Page 78 of Echoes of the Banshee

“You monster,” Dylan gasps, eyes sparkling. “Give us twenty, and then I’m dragging you to the after party.” He vanishes into the locker room.

“I’m not a party person,” I start to say, but Zair and Benson are already shaking their heads. Damn, I don’t have a choice.

Turns out the party was just Dylan’s favorite pizza place. “Now this is my kind of party,” I say around a slice. “If this is the reward, I might suffer through a few more games.”

They groan dramatically, but I just grin.

Mavrik

The Shadow Also Rises

My feet are bouncing without my control. I try to lock it down. Put on my stoic face. But the opportunity to train someone has me giddy. Thea jogs up, a glistening of sweat on her face that I can’t seem to look away from. A few of my shadows leave and greet her, wrapping around her like they belong.

“You okay?” she asks. Stupid Mavrik. Stop staring.

“Yes, sorry,” I tell her sheepishly. “Still not used to my shadows liking someone else. Ready?”

“Always,” she says with more gusto than necessary and we start stretching.

“Okay, so you’re a smart fighter.” That’s an understatement. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone fight like her. Always three steps ahead. Taking hits like she doesn’t even feel them.

“But you’re lacking in strength.” She scowls at me. “I’m going to show you how to use that to your advantage.”

Too soon the evening sparring class arrives and we pack up our things.

“Same time tomorrow?” she asks as we walk towards the library.

“Sure,” I say like I don’t care. She leaves and heads to her nook that she claims is some secret location. The shadows found it the first day I saw her here. Followed her. They give me small glimpses as she walks through the bookshelf and away. Zair isn’t inside. She pulls off her shirt.

“Stop.”

They continue. I wave my hand through them.

“Freak.”

Ah. Right. This is why people think I’m crazy. Flapping my hand and talking to myself. I head towards my usual table tucked away in the corner and flop down.

“You know…” A voice I hate comes from behind a bookshelf as my sister steps out. “It is so hard to defend you when you’re over there flailing.”

“Since you put so much effort into defending me.”

She scoffs.

“How much money do you have left this month?” she asks.

“It’s the fourth.”

“So all of it then. Great, I need some.”

I exhale though my nose. “Your birthday was Friday, didn’t you get extra.”

“Only an extra $500. My party was huge and spent it all and then had to tap into my normal monthly just to cover it,” she whines.

“Not my fault.”

“Didn’t you get a birthday bonus too. You didn’t do anything, so you still have it.”

“I had a party,” I tell her a little indignantly.