Page 230 of Sigils & Spells

“Hmm.” She ate one of her fries and pondered. “It probably wasn’t connected.” But she didn’t believe the words she said aloud. Some people channeled messages from spirits. Or, from the gods, if they still meddled in human affairs. Psychic mediums could do it, so why not his brother?

They ate in silence for a few minutes, and Ravyn didn’t think he wanted to talk about it any further. He caught her gaze and opened his mouth, only he didn’t get the opportunity to speak. A horrific cry tore through campus as though it were a siren. The room went dead silent; all the remaining students and workers stopping mid-conversation or whatever they were working on to stare around them and at each other.

A second scream came, this time more of a wailing shriek. It was eerie and frightening, sending the hair on Ravyn’s arms and neck on end. Daniel had gone ashen. A fry dropped from his fingers to his plate. “That sounds…like a banshee.”

Oh, shit. Aoibhe.

Ravyn pushed up from her chair. Franticly looking around her. “I have to go.” But her knees buckled as she attempted to leave and find her friend.

What the hell?

Her entire body tingled, felt too big, but also too tight. Too hot.

Ravyn’s eyes widened. She had to get out of this public space, fast. “I have to go to the bathroom.” Not waiting to hear Daniel’s remark, she ran, and stumbled, across the room.

“Ravyn? Are you all right?”

She couldn’t look back at him. Could feel his gaze on her with every step she took. Was he following her?

Nothing she could do to console him now. For whatever reason, Aoibhe’s wails had triggered her first shift. Black feathers sprouted on the backs of her hands as she pushed through the bathroom door and looked up at the small window at the top of the farthest wall. Could she open it in time?

A glance around the room left her disappointed. The trashcan didn’t look sturdy enough. She zeroed in on the broom left in the corner, then on the latch at the side of the window. If she could unlatch it, maybe it would push open enough she could fly out?

Doubling over, Ravyn realized time definitely wasn’t on her side. She was turning into a bird, and she had to fly. Had to hope the flight took her far from Daniel and this campus.

What had caused Aoibhe to wail like that?

Focus on the task, Ravyn.

Her thoughts were a mess as she lifted the broom and struggled with the latch. It wasn’t budging.

Trapped. Trapped. I’m going to be trapped.If Daniel found her, was that it for him? Would she lose him so soon?

The broom fell from her hands as feathers erupted from the rest of her body in earnest. Following suit, the ground vanished from under her and she dropped into darkness, panicking but quickly realizing she had gotten caught in her clothes as she shifted.

“What have we here?”

The panic intensified. She struggled to get free. If someone held the door open, maybe she could fly out. If she didn’t look at anyone, didn’t look at Daniel—

“Let’s get you free, little bird.”

She recognized that voice.

High heels clacked across tile, but she was trapped in the fabric from her dress, and Daniel’s jacket. Fishnets shackled her talons and she cursed herself for her wardrobe choices.

A rickety screech of metal hinges froze her in place. The window?

And then she was lifted from the ground, bundled in the clothes. She cawed and tried to free herself but her captor held her firmly.

“Hush, now. Hush. I’m trying to release you.”

Ravyn stilled. She wasn’t completely convinced it wasn’t a trick.

And then her head was freed and light blinded her. Blinking her bird eyes, she took in her surroundings, and her stomach plummeted. Everything seemed closer and yet farther away all at the same time. Dean Caelan smiled down at her and exclaimed, “Wow! Such a rarity I didn’t expect.” And she began to work at the fishnets around Ravyn’s legs.

What did she mean by rarity? Had she shifted into a rook?

Once the dean freed her of the remaining clothing she turned them not toward the window, which had been opened, but the mirrors. Ravyn exclaimed, but it came out in a caw.

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