Page 53 of Baneful Magick

Isla

WEDNESDAY

The conservatory didn’t tell us anything more about the missing student the next day. In fact, everything was business as usual for the next week. To everyone else, it was almost like it never happened, but I couldn’t let go of it.

Cassius cautioned me to be careful but didn’t dissuade me from trying to figure out what had happened. No professor was saying anything, and most of them seemed to be piling a bunch of work on us, probably a tactic to keep us from asking more questions. Too bad I had a lot of other things on my mind, too.

The morning after the lockdown, I’d woken up entwined with not only Echo but Wells. Zhara and Aizel were cuddled together on the couch opposite us, still asleep when the three of us stirred. Wells had turned bright red and jerked himself away, though that could have been because his hands were on Echo rather than me. After that, he’d averted his gaze and practically ran out of the suite without another word. Echo had asked whether I was okay, then dropped the matter entirely. Yet another thing that was left untouched.

The lack of communication was driving me up the wall, not that I was great at facing things when it came to feelings or the possibility of relationships. My ex-boyfriend was insecure whenit came to emotional talks, sex, and even any kind of PDA. It was fine at first, but before long it was just plain exhausting. Until we finally broke up, it had felt like I was responsible for the weight of everything in our relationship. Of course, he hadn’t seen things that way.

The conversation had been spun into a mess that could be summed up into me being called unreasonable, bitchy, and whatever other hurtful words he could throw my way. He didn’t take it very well when I explained that me, the communicative partner, being called unreasonable was laughable. My ex was a vindictive excuse for a partner, and while I’d like to say I’d risen past all of his bullshit unscathed, that wasn’t entirely true.

I didn’t know how to stop another relationship from turning into my previous one, so even though the silence on the guys’ ends was maddening, I sure as fuck wasn’t going out on a limb to break it. They needed to show me that they were interested before I took a leap. Otherwise, the likelihood of ruining a friendship was just too high.

So far, all signs pointed to this awkward avoidance being our new status quo. Echo and Aizel had been gone the weekend after the lockdown, and although Echo had seemed more at ease than he had before they left, something was still unsettled within him. Aizel had left him alone, focusing on Zhara instead, and I gave him space as best I could. It wasn’t exactly easy when you lived with someone, and they were one of your few friends on campus.

That was how I found myself at the library, trying to focus on one of the many stupid assignments. Aizel, Echo, Zhara, and Wells were at the table with me, everyone lost in their busy work. Some shuffling distracted me, and I saw Bones walking in.

‘You’re supposed to be studying,’Cassius drawled.

‘I studied. Now, I’m bored out of my fucking mind,’ I countered.‘Sitting here quietly is driving me insane.’

‘It’s called schoolwork.’

‘Then you do it,’ I replied sullenly.

Cassius’ soft laugh made goosebumps erupt down my arms. I rubbed them, acting like a sudden chill had hit me.

‘As you told me before, that would be cheating.’

‘I hate you.’

‘Not even remotely believable, beastie.’He paused for a beat then continued.‘You could ask them about what happened at the greenhouse.’

‘Aizel and Zhara don’t know about the greenhouse though,’I pointed out. At least, I assumed that they didn’t know about it because neither of them had brought it up. Echo had remained distant, and Wells was so busy anytime I tried to get him alone to ask him about what had happened.‘Besides, there are more pressing things at the moment.’

‘You mean the mystery of the missing student or the fact that you woke up in a sandwich the morning afterward?’

I bit my lip, grateful that no one could hear Cassius like I could.

“Isla? Are you okay?” Zhara asked, her voice hushed. Concern shined in her blue eyes as she studied me.

“Fine. Just bored.” I managed a half-smile before shaking my head. “Sorry. I think I’m just getting antsy, sitting here and doing nothing.”

“You could do your homework,” Aizel pointed out, dodging out of the way when I tossed a pen at him. “I’m just saying!”

“Not helpful,” I shot back without any real heat. “I think I just need some fresh air, then I’ll be back at it.”

“You mind company? I could use some time to stretch my legs before I do any more,” Wells asked, looking at me expectantly. I blinked at him a few times, surprised that he was actively seeking to spend time alone with me.

“Sure.” I nodded toward the front doors after I managed to rein in my reaction.

We remained silent until we were outside. I sighed, cracking my neck on both sides before settling down on the stairs. A soft rain had started, shadowing the quad in one of those magical dreary evenings. Just enough sunlight peeked from behind the clouds, so it wasn’t too dark, and the vivid dewy greens made my magick itch under my skin, wanting to come out and play.

Wells silently sat down beside me on the stone steps. There was a new level of awareness between us now, making me conscious of every breath and shift as he made himself comfortable.

“We should probably talk about it,” Wells suddenly said, his voice soft and unsure.

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