35. Thea
Thea
A Series of Unfortunate Thoughts
Mavrik’s smile lights up his face.
Did he not know if we were friends?
He honestly reminds me of Adora in so many ways.
How can I ask if he’s a banshee in a way that won’t be obvious?
Lazlo was so tight lipped about it, for obvious reasons.
I don’t think Mavrik trusts me anywhere near enough to tell me something that could get him killed.
The class starts to fill up and I see him shutting down.
Turning into as much a shadow as the one dancing across my desk. I let it play between my fingers.
When class is over, Mavrik says his shadows insist he walk me to English.
Same excuse he used last night, they really do seem to have a mind of their own.
When I woke up, the shadows had me almost in a protective cocoon.
He doesn’t talk much, keeps his head down.
Not as free as he is when we’re alone. When I see Benson, I tell the shadows I’m safe and head towards him.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asks.
“Better, thank you.”
“Zair texted and said you were…” he trails off.
“Yes, it’s back almost to normal, benefit of being weak,” I joke.
He scratches his jaw and gives me a look that obviously says he knows I’m full of crap and is choosing not to call me on it. I press my lips together to cover the smile.
“Thea!” Anita calls shrilly. Great.
“I’d better go, see you after class.” He nods and steps into his class and I head towards the stairs. Anita falls into step beside me. She doesn’t shut up and I don’t listen to a word she says.
I sit down next to Fable in class and Anita makes a face like it smells and storms off.
“What’s her problem?” she asks.
“I think that I talked to a goblin.”
“Ah yes, the great sin. Talking to people who are scared of you.”
I smirk at her.
“Thanks for letting me borrow your gloves.” I grab them from my bag and she wrinkles her nose as she takes them. “I’ll have you know, I got quite a reputation from wearing those.”
“Oh, were you around a shifter?” she looks alarmed.
“Just Dylan. He’s cool.”
Her look makes me want to ask questions but the teacher comes in and we can’t talk. She takes off out of the class as soon as it’s over.
Benson falls into step next to me and he doesn’t say anything until we get to Otherfell, he pulls me off the path and steps in front of me.
“I don’t know why you’re lying to Zair about how strong you are, but that was a lot of magic you let out yesterday. Are you sure you’re okay?”
I let out a long exhale. “I’m not lying per se. More like, not drawing attention to it.”
“But you’re okay?”
“Yes, I slept, I ate, I feel almost normal.”
He studies me for a few minutes before agreeing and following me to the dining hall. Zair joins us, apparently no one trusts me today.
Fair, that was an avalanche of magic I let out. Benson had braved it. Why did he do that?
I could’ve seriously hurt him.
Every other spiritborne on the planet would’ve run away from a witch meltdown. But he ran towards it. I never thought I’d have anyone who did that. Lazlo is the only one I could imagine doing that.
Benson couldn’t be a banshee. Could Lazlo be a goblin?
Lazlo took my soul, he’s definitely a banshee. That I’m certain of. Right?
I might need to research more on banshee’s.
The opportunity arises when we get a research assignment in Spiritborne History.
I try to work with Mavrik but Zair looks at me with puppy dog eyes and I find myself agreeing to work with him.
If nothing else, I’ll know for sure that Zair isn’t a banshee depending on how he reacts to the assignment.
Zair gives a pointed look to Mavrik before leaving to soccer practice. I have the feeling that all of them are keeping tabs on me today, Actually, I don’t think I’ve been alone once.
We train until the sun sets. As we start packing up our things, I check my phone. A text from Zair that says Dylan dragged him to a party and to stay with Mavrik.
“Y’all aren’t even trying to be subtle.” I show him the phone.
He quirks his lips.
“Library or dorm?”
“Dorm, I actually am really tired,” I admit. He nods and we walk together, when we reach my dorm he’s already peeling off to head to his. His shadows are agitated, one grabbing onto my arm.
“Will you come back?” I hear myself call after him.
He spins, his eyes scanning the area as if to check if I’m talking to someone else. He makes eye contact and I offer him a small smile. He nods.
“Let me shower.”
This is a stupid idea.
He’s my best guess.
Last night was the safest I’ve felt — even without my magic — that I can remember.
I get to my room, shower and put on some pajamas. I text Zair that I’m in bed and safe. While I wait for Mavrik I scroll through videos on the phone. I love those silly masktok dancer videos.
He knocks a few minutes later and I let him in. He’s standing in a light tee and gray sweats, his hair damp from the shower. My stomach tightens.
Oh god. It’s a good thing he can’t smell arousal.
“Thanks for staying with me,” I say, climbing into the bed and holding it open for Mavrik.
He kicks off his shoes and climbs in after me.
“Thanks for not making me sleep in the hallway like a creep.”
I snort and close my eyes, falling asleep to his steady breathing.
A knock wakes me and I shoot straight up. Mavrik is already on his feet. His shadows irritated.
The lock clicks open and Ethan stands there.
“Adora, my love,” he slurs.
“Go away,” I snap. I risk a glance at Mavrik but he’s nowhere to be seen.
Ethan stumbles into the room, coming towards the bed.
“She’s mine,” a deep voice growls. Mavrik steps out of the shadows. His shirt is wrapped around his face, his shadows move to make it look like a Rorschach test. His eyes glow through it.
“Whose there?” Ethan asks weakly.
“Your killer.”
Ethan sends a weak blast of magic and takes off, tripping out the door and across the hall.
Mavrik moves quickly to lock the door and turns the light on.
His muscular chest is on full display. Tattoos dance across his side, they look like birds but I’m sure they’re shadows.
They seem familiar though I’ve no idea why.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice still deep.
I swallow.
Doesn’t help.
I nod.
He grabs his phone from the nightstand and dials, he puts it to his ear and seems to realize he still has the shirt around his face. He pulls it off.
“Ollin,” he starts. How do they know each other? After a minute he hangs up his phone and studies me.
“He’ll come by tomorrow afternoon and change the locks,” he tells me. “Let’s try and get some rest. It’s only two.”
He lays down beside me and I resist the urge to cuddle into him. He might be my top contender for Lazlo, but…
“Did the shadows know something was going to happen?” I ask him.
“I don’t know. Seems that way.”