Page 32 of Baneful Magick

I silently studied him as Bones pulled out a pack of smokes and lit one with a quiet snick of a lighter. His damn sunglasses made it impossible to see his eyes, but I could feel the weight of his gaze he inhaled deeply, waiting for my response.

“Why are you an outsider?” I hazarded, not quite sure what to do with him telling me he had murdered people for their bones. He had meant it as a warning, but for some strangereason it didn’t bother me. I was just curious why he’d killed them.

Of course, Cassius said nothing even though I was pretty sure he could have shed some light on the situation.

The red tip of the cigarette was bright in the darkness. He didn’t speak for so long that I figured he wasn’t going to respond at all. The silence of the night seemed heightened somehow, like even the animals had quieted down to hear his answer.

“I’m legally blind, along with some other things that make me undesirable. Illusion magick is supposed to help us blend in, but mine just makes me stand out even more. It’s hard to be an effective hunter if your prey knows what you are the moment they sense you.”

Smoke surrounded him as he spoke, his voice so solemn that my heart twisted in sympathy, but there was no way I would show that. The vision problems were the tip of the iceberg as to why he was an outcast, but he would probably push me away and run off if I pressed him for too much, too fast. Bricriu didn’t seem like the type of person to share many personal details with people.

“So they hate you because of things you were born with and have no control over?”

“Such bullshit, yes?” A dark laugh escaped him, though there was no humor in the chilling sound. “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.”

“This doesn’t take the place of taking me to dinner. Just a heads up,” I joked, cracking up when he started to choke mid-drag. “Oh, that’s priceless.”

“You’re cruel,” he managed after a few coughs.

“You like it,” I teased, not the least bit put off. “At least the trash took itself out. How much trouble would I be in if they suddenly ended up sick?”

“Depends how sick,” Bones answered. His brow furrowed, he walked over to join me on the bench. He sat down slowly, probably expecting me to tell him to get away from me. When I did nothing, he slowly settled beside me, his legs outstretched in front of him. “I think the professors expect things like that from all of us.”

“I’d hate to disappoint,” I murmured, thinking over different plants I could try to find. That greenhouse had elderberries… If I could find it again, I could poison him with those. If I did it right, he’d experience numb limbs and maybe even fall into a coma. “That would totally work. Probably…”

Bones just watched me, seemingly fascinated. A hint of a smile teased the edges of his lips. I wanted to know what else he might be feeling. Amusement, sure, but I had the feeling there was depth there that was being stolen from me. Those damnable glasses were so cool but also irritating at the same time. They kept me from really seeing him. Legally blind... Did that mean hehadto wear them?

“Do you always wear sunglasses?” I asked, unable to help myself. He leaned back at that abrupt question, putting the smallest bit of distance between us. “Shit, sorry. You don’t have to answer that. Just curious since it’s nighttime but you’re still wearing them.”

He nodded, running his hand through his short white hair. “If it gets to be too much, I’ll let you know, witchling. Bright lights are not my friend. The glasses help, though they don’t correct my vision, They just protect me from most of the brightness.”

“Even at night?” I tilted my head, letting my curiosity have free rein since he didn’t seem bothered by the questions.At least for now.

“New moon nights aren’t bad,” he replied.

“You didn’t need them when you were...” I waved my hand at him, trying to figure out how to phrase it.

“In my fae form?” He arched an eyebrow. “I still can’t see, but the sensitivity to light isn’t as strong in my actual form.”

“Then why walk around like this?” I immediately winced and started to backpedal. “Fuck. That came out wrong.”

He was definitely going to kill me soon just to get away from me since I kept putting my foot in my mouth. Maybe he’d take my foot… A morbid part of me wondered where he would put it.

“People find it…easierto be around this version of me,” he answered after a full minute of silence.

“Fuck them,” I scoffed. “Just because they’re afraid of you doesn’t mean you should shrink yourself down. I think your fae form is beautiful.”

Bones didn’t reply, but I could almost feel a shift in the atmosphere around us. He was done with the discussion now, so I pushed down my disappointment. He leaned back on the bench and tilted his head back to look up at the sky.

“It’s getting late, Isla. Probably a good time to call it quits since we both have classes tomorrow.”

I was being dismissed. There was no other way to look at it. Hurt made bitterness thick in my throat, but I swallowed it. He had let me peek over his walls even though he wasn’t letting me inside.

“My first class isn’t until ten tomorrow.” I rolled my eyes as I forced some lightness into my voice. “But I do need to get back to my essay. Sadly, it won’t write itself. What good is magick if it can’t even manage that?”

He didn’t react to my joke, so I just let out a long sigh and made my way inside without looking back at him. His stuff was at my table, so I’d see him soon.

I wasn’t sure what I had done to make the mood change so suddenly, but I stood by what I’d said. I liked his fae form, andit suited him better in my mind. Despite that, I could see how he might like to blend in sometimes.

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