My eyes went wide, and I open-palm hit him in the face as I squealed and tried to get away.
Chuckling, he shuffled back a few steps. The space between us did nothing to quell my racing heart.
“It’s frozen mermaid slime,” he said, tossing it over his shoulder. “What did you think it was?”
“A worm. I think I’m shaking harder from that than when I’d wanted to kill Piepen.”
“Which time?”
“Haha.”
Fenris’s smile changed slightly, looking almost tender a second before he closed the door and moved around the hood to get into the driver’s seat. Setting a trembling hand over my stomach, I tried to take a few calming breaths before speaking again.
“I don’t know a lot of banshees. I thought they only sang death’s song when someone in their house was going to die.”
“House is a loose term for anyone in their immediate vicinity.”
“Is that why you thought it was me who was going to die?”
He glanced at me as he drove and gave a brief nod. I thought about the banshee facts I’d learned.
“What would cause all of them in Uttira to sing at the same time?”
“A lot of death,” Fenris said grimly.
My phone buzzed again, and I took it out of my pocket to read the texts.
Council: All residents should return to their homes and stay there. An update will be provided within the hour.
Mom: Where are you?
Instead of texting, I called her.
“Hey, Mom. I’m on my way home.”
“Good. Do you know what’s going on?”
“Not really. I was in the Roost with some friends, and three banshees started singing. We ran outside and heard more. Adira disappeared before we could find out why they were all singing at once.”
Mom was quiet for a minute.
“A banshee sings when there will be a death in their house,” she said softly.
“Yeah, I know. But that doesn’t explain—”
“Uttira is their house, baby. Get to the Quills’. That’s the safest place for you. Drive safe, okay?”
“I will.”
“Text me when you get there.”
I hung up and looked at Fenris.
“Did you hear all of that?”
“Yeah. Sounds like something big is going to happen.”
“You say that, yet you’re super calm?”
