Right. That. I sift through my memories, the inside of my head feeling more like the stuffing of the cushion it was restingon. Something about my phone not working… and the map into town and…
I jerk backwards, away from Selene. Away from the witch who said that I’m a demon. And what the fuck was that grey thing?
“Ah, so you do remember.” She looks disappointed, and for some unfathomable reason I feel the urge to comfort her, but I resist the bizarre compulsion. For all I know, she’s making me feel that way.
“Yes,” I reply, mouth bone dry and then, before I can think better of it, “Are you going to hurt me?”
Her bright-blue eyes widen in what seems to be genuine shock. “What? No. Jared, I know this must be an awful lot to take in, but I promise nobody here is going to hurt you, especially not me.”
“But what about that thing? What was it?”
“That was Michael. He’s a gargoyle.”
“Eve,” Selene whisper-scolds the girl who’s peeking out from behind the closest shelving unit. She looks about sixteen and shares Selene’s dark hair and fair skin, making me wonder if they’re related. Does that mean she’s a witch too?
“What?” She shrugs. “He asked. Can’t be any worse than telling him he’s not human.”
“Eve,” Selene repeats in a stern tone. “Give us a moment.”
The teenager, Eve, ignores Selene completely, focusing her attention on me instead. “Do you want to meet him?”
“Meet who?” I ask, my mind still foggy.
“Michael.”
“Who?”
“Thegargoyle,” she says in an exaggerated spooky voice before switching back to the chirpy tone she’s been using fast enough to give me whiplash. “Do you want to meet him?”
“Um…” I hesitate, unsure how to answer that.
“I promise I’m not dangerous, dude!” the boy—or is it gargoyle?—calls out from somewhere further inside the shop.
“Seriously? That’s exactly what someone dangerous would say,” Eve snarks.
While that’s pretty much exactly what I was thinking, there’s something about these two that’s making me feel less panicked—maybe the fact they’re bickering like a pair of normal teenagers.
“OK.”
“You don’t have to,” Selene starts, only to be cut off by Eve.
“Better he do it now so we know if he’s going to freak out again rather than letting him out on the street only for him to run screaming when he sees someone else in shifted form.” Shifted what?
Selene sighs. “You make a good point.” Eve grins, looking smug, only to have Selene wipe the expression from her face. “But don’t think I won’t tell your mum about all of this.”
“But I didn’t?—”
“Listen to your aunt? No, you didn’t.” She turns away from her sulking niece, her blue eyes searching mine. I’m not sure what she’s looking for. “You’re sure?”
I’m not sure of anything right now. Standing on shaky legs, I do my best to fake a smile. “Yeah.” Something in my heart believes Selene when she says they’re not going to hurt me but, while I always trust my gut, given I’ve just taken a knock to the head and there’s bloody magic in play, I think it’s wise to exercise some caution. Better to face the unknown on my feet instead of at an even bigger disadvantage on the floor.
“Yes!” Eve bounces on her heels, then I hear soft, deliberate footsteps approach.
“You ready, man?”
I’m not sure why, but I look to Selene. She gives me an encouraging smile.
“Yes.” Bracing myself for the worst, I’m shocked when a normal-looking, if a little lanky, teenage boy steps around the corner. “Is this? Is this some kind of joke?” Maybe I really was being hazed. I was sure what I’d seen was real, but what if it wasn’t? What if I’m more messed up from everything with The Raven than I realised?
