Page 6 of Baneful Magick

Mom settled on the ground outside my garden while I flopped down inside the black fence. I sipped the boba she had gotten me and enjoyed the easy silence between us.

The crickets had started singing into the darkness by the time I finished up my drink, and Mom inhaled deeply. I followed her lead and savored the richness of the garden around me, unable to smell much else.

Mom’s vampire senses must have caught something else though because her focus zeroed in on a patch of the woods off the left. The shadows grew darker where Mom was staring, and then I saw movement in the blackness. I felt my smile growing as a man ambled out of the darkness. Demir had come. He lifted a hand in greeting, and Mom grinned.

“Looks like we’re having a family party tonight. I’ll let Ma know and help her clean up whatever mess is going on inside.”

I nodded and thanked her as she carefully wrapped a napkin around my cup so she wouldn’t touch it with her bare skin. Demir gave her a hug as she passed, and they talked for a few seconds before she hurried inside. With her gone, my brother focused on me, his stare intense looking me up and down.

“You look terrible.”

Fucking brothers. Why was I looking forward to him coming, again?

I flipped him off and rolled my eyes. “So nice to see you too, Demir. I figured not living at home would have made you nicer, but it seems some things are just lost causes.”

Demir smirked lazily. His sable black hair fell over his shoulder, revealing how long it had gotten in his absence. It was past his waist now, straight as a board and gorgeous. It was so unfair how beautiful his hair was considering mine was a tangled mess unless I styled it every damn morning.

“You missed me, Isla, just admit it.”

“I missed your height when I needed to get stuff down from the shed for Ma. How she always needs things at the very top I’ll never know,” I huffed, rubbing my upper arms when an unexpected wind whipped through the yard. “I should go wash my hands and try to find the gloves Ma wanted me to try.”

“Gloves?” Demir asked curiously. He walked along the fence as I headed out of my garden.

“Side effects of accepting enrollment at Greywood.” I grimaced as the burning sensation intensified. At this rate, I’d have to camp out with my plants until I left, or I’d have no peace.

“From what I’ve heard of that place, that seems par for the course.”

“What do you mean?” I turned to face him, stopping right before we got to the house.

“Greywood is for dangerous magick, destructive.”

“Are you saying I’m dangerous?”

“You sing to poisonous plants like they’re your babies,” he deadpanned.

I waved a hand dismissively. “Plenty of people sing to their plants.”

“You poisoned your academy bullies so they shit their brains out and ended up in the hospital for three days.”

“That was never proven,” I replied haughtily, but I snorted when he gave me a pointed look. “It’s called Ipecacuanha, a wonderful plant really. People used it as medicine for a long time before it was discontinued. They should just consider it a free medicinal lesson.”

He shook his head as he held the door open for me. “The things you randomly know concern me.”

Not as concerning as the fact that those bullies had only left the hospital because they died… Though that wasn’t something we talked about often. Not to mention the ones my family had no idea about. Some things are better left as secrets.

I went right for the utility sink, carefully washing my hands and forearms before trying the gloves Ma had laid out. The pain intensified enough that I groaned as I tried to slip the cotton over my skin.This isn’t going to work.I pulled them off, tossing them on the table with a frustrated sigh.

“Didn’t help?” Demir asked, and I shook my head. “Does it spread?”

“No,” I muttered. “But I would like to have it not hurt.”

“Buck up, batty.” Demir tucked me into a side hug. “I’m sure I can distract you.”

“When are you leaving again? I need to put a countdown on my phone,” I demanded as I dug my elbow into his side.

“I’ve missed you too, little sister!” he sang out as he pulled me into the kitchen.

Immediately, the ruckus of screaming children filled my ears. Everyone was excited to see their big brother again. Demir came to visit from time to time, but he didn’t get away from his job very often. He also worked at Onyx Security but in a different department than Mom, so he tended to work day shifts more often than not.

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