Page 223 of Sigils & Spells

She shrugged. “The combs are passed down through the family. If someone finds or steals a banshee’s comb, it triggers us. If we are already in our wraith stage, we will haunt that person until the comb is returned, and the longer it goes on, people and animals close to them will have sudden ends.” She paused. “Banshees don’t kill them, but…I guess it’s a curse of some kind. I don’t really understand it. I had hoped the research project would help me find that out for myself.”

“But I would have been safe, right? Because you’re not a wraith?” She’d said she wasn’t sure losing her virginity would trigger her to become a banshee, which meant she was still in the maiden stage, right? “And I wasn’t going to steal it. Just move it.”

Aoibhe’s smile had turned into a frown. “Considering my reaction, which to be honest, I wasn’t mad, and I knew what you were doing. Instinct kicked in, and I think it did for you too for you to recognize me by my cheek.” She rubbed her face. “I’m glad you didn’t touch it. Maybe that would have triggered my change.”

“How would you know?”

Rolling her eyes, Aoibhe laughed. “Oh, Ravyn. I’d scream. Someone linked to you or linked to someone you are close to would die in the near future. You don’t want to hear a banshee’s cry. Ever.”

A shudder ran through her. Hearing a banshee meant someone would die. Seeing a harbinger bird would mean the same. “Dean Caelan said something weird to me the day she made Daniel and I stay behind.” She never told Aoibhe that part because it didn’t seem important. Now though…

“The dean might be like us, by the way. I can’t quite figure it out. Neither can Gabe.”

Hold. On. A. Damn. Minute.

Ravyn dropped her pillow back to the floor and braced her hands beside her on the bed. “Gabe is like us too?”

Her friend pinned her with a look that made her feel dumb for asking. How was she supposed to even guess that?

Ravyn gulped. The weird feeling she always had when she met Gabe’s stare. Was that because of her third eye? If it had opened for that, why hadn’t she seen Aoibhe’s mark before now?

“Gabe is possibly a reaper. His research paper is also a way to find out more about himself, especially since his parents recently died and he cannot ask them questions now that he’s coming into his abilities.”

All she could do is open and close her mouth. Her first thought? Wow, they really were all researching themselves for this paper. Her second? “He’s awhat?”

“He’s going to be so mad at me for telling his business, but I think he would understand, given the circumstances.”

“Let me get this straight.” She rubbed her temples. “There are three living death omens here—wait, is a reaper an omen or the actual collector of souls?”

Her friend shrugged.

“Ugh! Anyway, there’s three of us in our class…about death omens and our professor is possibly one too?” Did the woman in white also count as a portent of death?

“That’s the conclusion we have come to as well, aye.” She laughed. “Kinda weird.”

“Kinda?” Ravyn laughed nervously. “Do you want to know what Dean Caelan said to me?” At her friend’s nod, she continued, “She said something about a convergence of death omens leads to catastrophe.”

“Let’s hope not, considering there’s more than three of us here.”

She held up her finger, opened her mouth. Shut it again. Made a sound of impatience and then said, “How many people in that class are like us?”

“What Gabe and I can determine, at least two more. Two other girls.”

Ravyn exhaled slowly. It wasn’t until Aoibhe specified they were female that she realized she’d been scared Daniel might be one too.” She said as much. “If it was Daniel though, it might protect him from my family’s curse. Possibly.”

Aoibhe glanced away, becoming real interested in her comb once more.

“What is it?” Trepidation rode her hard, making it hard to breathe. What had Gabe and Aoibhe determined about Daniel? Is that why Gabe didn’t like him? Clearly, the bond between Gabe and Aoibhe made more sense now, but how had she been so blind to it?

Duh, you’ve been so focused on your new boyfriend and trying to forget you weren’t a normal human, that you weren’t even paying attention.

“I had wondered why I felt drawn to this college above all others. To this class. Then it made sense. You see, banshees are all attached to an old Irish family, most of which have last names starting with anO, Mc, or Mac.My family is attached to the O’Connors.”

“Oh, fucking hell.” Ravyn would have sat down if she weren’t already sitting. The room swayed a little bit and she put a hand to her forehead. “Between my curse dooming men we fall in love with and your attachment to his family…” Tears sprang to her eyes. “He’s going to die, isn’t he?”

“You don’t know that,” Aoibhe said softly. “But if it makes you feel better, if we’re all here and something bad happens, it wouldn’t beyourfault if he died.” She didn’t wait for Ravyn to reply before adding, “Something big must be on the horizon, and it’s already set in motion.”

CHAPTER9

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