“In Isa we have a flatbread that—” I stopped talking when a big, black raven landed on the table.
“Shoo!” Eden waved her empty plate at it.
Ayden and Ariyon went stock still, staring at the bird. Slowly, Ayden reached down by his waist and pulled a small silver dagger.
What the—was he going to kill the bird? Surely, it wasn’t a threat!
The bird hopped across the table, right over to me and…bowed.
‘Yanric Spade, Bane family familiar. At your service,’he said, but his beak never moved.
My heart thumped so wildly, I was sure the entire table could hear it.
I gave a nervous peal of laughter and looked around at everyone else. They were all staring at me, wide-eyed. Suspicious. Even Eden.
“Go on! Go away.” I reached out and shoved the bird with the back of my gloved hand, pretending I hadn’t just heard him speak! He flew backward a few inches and then hopped closer to me.
‘Fallon Bane, I live and breathe to serve you. I will never leave you,’he declared and then lifted off the table and flew at me, perching on my shoulder.
I flinched when his wing hit my exposed neck, but no pain followed the touch.
A cold sweat broke out on my skin as I sat there frozen, my mind struggling to comprehend what had just happened. I chewed the inside of my lip, feeling an impending panic attack set in. What in the Nightling was happening? I shook my shoulder, but the bird didn’t leave. He could touch me? Without pain?
Ariyon stood, looked his brother in the eyes, and nodded. “I told you. She’sjustlike her mother.”
I recoiled as if he’d slapped me, his statement causing shame and agony to wash over me in equal measure. Then he walked away and I had to blink rapidly to keep tears from forming in my eyes.
“No.” I shook my shoulder, trying to dislodge the bird, but the bastard held on tightly. “I—I don’t know this bird.” I shook harder but it stayed in place.
‘I just told you. I’m Yanric Spade, the Bane family famil—'
“Shut up!” I shouted at him and Eden’s eyes went wide.
Hayes got up and grabbed his plate. “I…gotta get to class.”
I blinked rapidly, losing my fight with the panic consuming me as terrified tears rolled down my cheeks.
“I don’t know what’s happening,” I told Eden.
She shrugged. “I don’t either, Fallon, I’m sorry.” She was looking at the bird like he was about to explode.
Ayden placed a gentle hand on Eden’s shoulder. “Why don’t you get to class. I need to talk to Fallon privately.”
Fear sliced through my gut at that and Eden nodded to him, took her bag, and gave me a pitiful look before leaving.
Now it was just Ayden and me, and he was staring at the bird like it was an omen of death.
Maybe it was.
“Fallon, I heard that you grew up in Isariah with a dad who is magicless?”
I nodded, reaching up to wipe the stupid tears from my cheeks. Who cries the first day at school? I was pathetic, but this was too much. I couldn’t take any more.
The damn bird wouldn’t move. The damntalkingbird! Apparently only I could hear him, which made me feel like I’d gone mad.
‘The greatest crime against the Bane family, for you to be raised magicless!’the bird said in my mind, and I tried to shut him out but I felt like I was going insane. Maybe this was how it began. Master Clarke had warned that my people all went mad. This talking bird seemed to be a good start.
Ayden reached for my gloved hand and I allowed him to take it in his.
