Page 209 of Sigils & Spells

“Wow,” both of them said at the same time. If either were about to ask anything more, they had to think better of it because the dean began to speak once more.

“If you turn to the first page of your syllabus, you will see the breakdown of our topics for this course. We will be covering a wide range of mythology, and a favorite topic of mine, which you may have guessed already from the new text.” She paused for dramatic effect and then threw her hands up dramatically as she declared, “Death omens. Every part of the world had such fascinating ideas of what happened after death in their culture, as well as looking for signs to predict or even avoid it. Everyone will need to pick one of these portents of doom and schedule a time to present a five-to-ten-page prospectus to me about which you select.”

The room remained silent.

“Then as we learn all we can in class, you will write a twenty-page paper on your chosen subject. This will be fifty percent of your grade. The mid-term and final making up the rest. I don’t have time to grade a bunch of homework and pop-quizzes, so be warned…your grade depends on making sure you ace your tests and present agoodessay.”

A guy a few seats below him raised his hand.

“Yes?” Dean Caelan asked.

“Do we have to present the reports to the class?”

While everyone laughed, more than a few students looked uncomfortable at the thought. Daniel hated public speaking as well.

The dean chuckled. “If the midterm is collectively poor, then that might be how we earn some extra credit. But we’ll deal with that when we get there.” She looked at her watch. “That’s all for today. Start reading in the World Mythology textbook you all should have purchased by now. Chapter one on Mesopotamia and Egypt. See you on Wednesday.”

As everyone packed their materials and gathered their belongings, the dean watched them intently. Her gaze seemed to settle on Ravyn and Aoibhe, or maybe one of them specifically, on more than one occasion. Daniel didn’t know why, but it unnerved him. Made him want to stay close to them. It didn’t make any sense though. Dean Caelan was a very nice lady, though stern. He’d never picked up on any weird vibes like that from her before. Like she had locked on to something interesting.

Their group hesitated in the main hallway after exiting the class. Aoibhe smiled at her friend and moved a bit out of the way. Daniel wasn’t going to let the clear blessing of the friend go to waste. He blurted out, “So, if you want a study partner, let me give you my number.”

In all fairness he could have worked up to that better.

“Okay,” she giggled and pulled out her phone. When they exchanged numbers, he had no choice but to make his exit to his next class. So far, the semester was off to a promising start. At that moment, it really felt as though nothing could go wrong.

CHAPTER3

Ravenous,she stared down at the lunch choices before her. Ravyn didn’t know if she wanted chicken tenders or a cheeseburger or…was that lasagna? Everything looked, and smelled, amazing. Why was picking something to eat so difficult sometimes?

Aoibhe giggled next to her. “Raaaaaavynnnnn, there’s a line.”

Sighing, she pointed at the chicken with a side of macaroni and cheese and then accepted the plate from the cafeteria worker. Turning a feigned look of annoyance at her roomie, she said, “Food is an important decision. Make the wrong choice, and your whole day will be thrown off.”

“I guess. Hey, isn’t that guy in our mythology class?” Aoibhe nodded toward a guy wearing a dark hoodie, staring at a plate of lasagna on the table in front of him as though it might be poisoned.

“I think so. He doesn’t look very friendly though.” Not if that scowl had anything to say for his personality.

“Which is absolutely why we should go befriend him. Everyone needs friends, and he probably doesn’t know anyone here, same as us.”

Aoibhe had a good heart. It was undoubtedly going to get her in trouble down the line, but at least Ravyn was around to act as a buffer. “Or he wants to be left alone.”

“He’s a classmate. Don’t you want to know more of your classmates?”

Not particularly…She sighed dramatically. She had wanted the college experience. Maybe she hadn’t thought socializing with, well,everyonewould be part of it. “Okay, but if he doesn’t want us there, we leave him alone.”

“Deal.” Aoibhe grinned and practically skipped ahead to take the seat at the table across from their mysterious and reluctant lunch companion. They didn’t even know the guy’s name since they had signed a roster on their way out of class instead of calling roll. Before Ravyn could take her own seat next to her friend, Aoibhe was already introducing them.

He looked at them both suspiciously. “Gabe,” was all he said in reply. At least a name was something.

Aoibhe, completely unaffected by his skeptical once over of both of them, asked, “I’m assuming that is short for Gabriel?” At his blank stare, she continued with, “So, what did you think of class?”

Gabe continued his impeccable impression of a bored mute.

“Any idea what death omen you’re thinking of writing about?” she tried again.

His eyes narrowed on her.

“Um,” Ravyn said. “Maybe we should leave him alone.”

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