Page 15 of Baneful Magick

On top of all of my toiletries was a box with my name on it. I would recognize the handwriting anywhere, knowing it was Ma’s. Inside was a letter from her and Mom wishing me good luck at school and telling me ways to keep in touch. My little brothers and sisters had included drawings, and Kearin, because it had to be him, had thrown in a hag stone. That boy loved his rock collection, and the stone he’d gifted me was believed to reveal the fae world if you looked through the hole in its center.

There was a letter from Demir as well, but before I could open it, a knock sounded on my bedroom door. A second later it opened to reveal Zhara-Rose, still wearing the same t-shirt from last night. She blinked a few times at all the bags before she chuckled.

“Did they leave anything at home?” she teased, leaning against the doorway.

I chuckled softly, not the least bit embarrassed about my love of fashion. “I don’t think so, but they knew they wouldn’t hear the end of it if they didn’t send me all my stuff.”

“You may have a problem,” she commented as I started putting some of my things away. “You’re not going to use witchy magick to put it all away in a few seconds?”

I snorted at that and shook my head. “That would be a neat trick. My magick doesn’t work that way. I can use my power with plants, and that’s about it. I can help heal them, strengthen their effects, and sometimes I can even control plants and make them grow faster, though I don’t do that often. But basic shit beyond some mental shields… nah.”

She sighed as she ran a hand through her frizzy red hair. “That’s slightly disappointing.” She barely suppressed a yawn as she leaned her head against the door, watching me settle into my room.

“Any idea what we’re supposed to be doing today? It’s not like I got handed a class schedule after being kidnapped last night.”

“We should be getting something soon, maybe after breakfast,” Echo said from beyond Zhara-Rose.

He glided up to the doorway, eyebrows raising in surprise at the amount of items I had started sorting through. The incubus was dressed in ripped black skinny jeans, a loose white t-shirt, and a pair of black dress shoes. Casual yet well put together, he looked amazing.

“That’s a lot of clothes.”

“That’s what I said,” the wolf unhelpfully agreed. “I’m going to get ready. I’ll wait for you, Isla. Obviously, I’ll be done before you given what you’re sorting through.”

“We can all go together,” Echo offered as I chuckled softly at her teasing. “Aizel is still getting ready, and we don’t mind waiting.”

“Sounds good to me!” I told them before Zhara-Rose agreed and shut my door.

Hurrying up, I rummaged through my clothes, deciding on a pair of red velvet suspender shorts, a flowy off-white vintage blouse, black tights, and black ankle boots with a small heel. I laid everything out on the bed then grabbed underwear and a bra before getting into the shower.

Thirty minutes later, I was showered, dressed, and doing the finishing touches on my hair.Luckily my makeup won’t take long.

‘Are you ever going to venture out of this room today?’

A swirling black cloud of magick filled the mirror until Cassius fully materialized. It looked like he was standing beside me, but I knew he wasn’t physically here.

He was the same height as me, just shy of six feet, but where my hair was black, his was a warm chestnut brown mess on topof his head. His tan skin was almost completely covered in black ink from his fingers all the way up and across his face. Some of them seemed magickal, but others appeared to be human tattoos. Amber eyes studied me as I watched him in the mirror.

‘One day, someone is going to see you,’I commented to him before I opened the vanity drawers to get my makeup bags.

Cassius didn’t remark on the possibility. It hadn’t happened in the first nineteen years of my life, so I doubted it would happen now, but just because it hadn’t happened yet didn’t mean it couldn’t.

Something was amiss. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what was off, but I knew in my gut that there was something going on. Cassius didn’t just appear in the mirror to watch me anymore. That was one of the tactics he’d used when I was younger, frightening me until I was a crying mess. The stiffness of his posture and the weight of his attention felt heavier than normal.What is he thinking?

‘Cassius? What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing, beastie,’he replied after a moment of heavy silence.‘You should get ready. They won’t wait forever.’

‘Beauty takes time. I’ve told you that before,’I joked, trying to lighten the mood as I sorted through my things. Cassius didn’t respond, but he didn’t fade away either. His gaze searched the room behind me, then focused on me.

Not wanting to keep them waiting a long time, I did some light makeup, using just foundation, blush, eyeshadow, and mascara. Finishing off the look with my signature black lipstick, I was all ready to go.

‘What do you think?’I asked Cassius as I did a small twirl, feeling confident as hell.

‘Don’t play with any plants before you make new friends this time.’His amber eyes sparkled with laughter.

I crossed my arms in front of my chest.‘It was one time!’

‘Because I’ve reminded you?—’

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