Page 51 of Drawn in Blood
Fen grumbled something unintelligible as he scrunched his nose and leaned on the table, resting his chin in his palm. “Are you coming over for our birthday dinner?” he asked, as he traced the wood grain on the table.
Ember tried not to flinch.
It wasn’ttheirbirthday, not really. Not anymore. It was her birthday and his birthday, but it wasn’t something they would share together again. The sudden realization of that made something inside of her chest crack.
“I think my mom has something planned.” She tried to smile. “Maybe we can do something after?”
Fen’s face fell as he nodded, and Ember felt something deep inside her crack a bit more.
“Good morning, young Vala,” Professor Bjorn’s voice boomed, as he descended the spiral staircase. “I trust you all had a weekend full of rest and recuperation? And perhaps some studying?”
Every student seemed to avert their eyes, looking anywhere but the professor towering over them at the front of the classroom. He tapped his giant paw on his tweed vest as he peered at them over his monocle.
“Or perhaps not,” he laughed gruffly, as he leaned against his desk. He tapped silently on his chin for a moment before clearing his throat and straightening his vest. “This quarter we are focusing on the creatures that live in the Dark Forest,” he continued as he opened the textbook.
A groan sounded out through the room, some students even laying their heads on their desks, and Professor Bjorn rolled his eyes with a small grin.
“Oh, for fecks sake,” he mumbled, as he flipped his wrist, promptly closing the book on his desk. “I have an even better idea.” With another silent flick of his wrist, his office door opened at the top of the spiraling staircase, and a small book floated toward him, laying gently on his desk. The pages fluttered open quickly, then slowed to a stop somewhere in the middle of the book. Professor Bjorn cleared his throat as he adjusted his monocle, and the class fell silent once more.
“Instead of discussing the creatures in the Dark Forest,” he began, “today we are going to discuss Celtic mythological creatures and beings.”
The classroom erupted in a cacophony of oohs and aahs as everyone flipped their books closed and began whispering excitedly to the person beside them. Ember smiled as she tapped the desk beside her.
“Do you know many legends about creatures in the forest?” she asked Odette quietly.
“I know stories that even you would have a hard time believing, Ember Lothbrok.” Odette grinned as the bells hanging from her ears twinkled lightly.
“Do you ever see anything? When you’re out there?” Ember asked in a hushed whisper. She didn’t have to specify where thetherewas.
Odette nodded as she smirked. “Sometimes I see things, and sometimes things see me. Sometimes I wake up in my bed, and I’m not sure if I walked back myself or if I was ever there to begin with. Nothing in the forest is truly ever what it seems.”
Ember nodded in silent agreement.
“There are many legends about things that lurk about the island,” Odette whispered, smiling as she tilted her head toward Ember. “Although, it seems not all legends are steeped completely in lore.”
Ember felt her neck burn red as she cut her eyes around the room, but not even Fen and Killian were paying attention to the conversation between her and Odette. “I suppose not,” she whispered back.
“Just because we are going off script,” Professor Bjorn announced from the front of the room, “does not mean this lesson is not to be taken seriously.”
A hush fell over the class as he walked up and down the rows of students.
“It also doesn’t mean that this class won’t count toward your final grade.”
Silence finally fell over the class, and Professor Bjorn smirked as he strode back toward the front of the room.
“Today we will cover the Banshee,” he said calmly, sticking small ear plugs into his large ears. “First we will start with the Banshee’s song.”
Ember’s blood ran cold at the sound that came out of the book—the song she had heard in her dreams and the night she had followed the wisps in Arcelia. Her breathing became rapid, the walls threatening to close in on her entirely. She clenched her sweaty palms as her stomach turned, nails digging into the calloused skin. Odette laid a hand on one of her fists, and Ember stiffened in her seat.
The room filled with students grabbing their ears and squeezing their eyes shut, some screaming, “Stop!” as they winced. Ember furrowed her brow as she turned to look at Fen and Killian, who both had their ears covered by their arms. Killian looked up at Ember, his eyes locking quickly with hers, confusion washing over his face. Odette seemed to be the only one other than her who wasn’t screaming, but that didn’t surprise her in the least.
As everyone continued to cover their ears, Ember couldn’t understand why they had a problem with the song the ethereal woman was singing. As her eyes met Professor Bjorn’s, he gave her a curious look. After a few more beats, he waved his hand, and the singing stopped, and the rest of the class uncovered their ears.
“Feckin hell,” Fen groaned, “what was that?”
Killian narrowed his eyes at Ember and tilted his head, like he was studying her. Ember felt her neck burn hot as she shrank into her seat.
“That, Mr. Kitt,” Professor Bjorn, “was the Banshee’s song.”
