The Soul Thief

Chapter 27

It was like being underwater. That was the only way I could describe it. Like I had lost access to a sense I relied on and the world was duller, colder and more muffled without it.

It was more than just uncomfortable. Cutting me off from it had been downright painful and, from Mrs Kennedy's expression, she had known that beforehand.

My fingers played with the edge of the binding cuffs. It just felt so wrong not to be able to feel the magic I knew swirled within me.

Now I was numb. Numb and alone. Although Nancy was replying to texts, she had been too busy to see me and I knew why.

The rumours spread like wildfire through the school, and now no one would so much as look at me. At breakfast Enzo had walked out as soon as he saw me enter, and Blake was nowhere to be seen.

Blake also hadn't replied to any of my messages since discovering what I was and I didn't know whether to feel betrayed that he seemingly believed what people were saying without speaking to me, or understanding because, well how well did we really know each other?

One look at the lunch hall had my heart sinking and my appetite disappearing. The suspicion and fear in everyone's faces at just seeing me in the doorway said it all.

Turning on my heel, I marched away, just walking blindly and trying not to think too much about what would happen when the council members decided to see me.

I knew they were here. Everyone was talking about how quickly they had arrived and how unusual it was. The waiting for them to summon me had left me so jumpy and on edge. I had hardly slept last night. Not deeply enough to dream, at least.

The lack of nightmares was the only thing I was really thankful for. Glancing up, I realised my aimless walking had brought me out near the library.

If no one would talk to me, or explain things, perhaps I'd have to research what I was myself in an attempt to understand.

The librarian's face visibly paled as I entered and I sighed, not even bothering to ask her for help as I headed for the fae section and began searching.

The first few books were dead ends, but the fourth, titled Fae Royal Index, had a chapter labelled banshees. With a little glance around the silent library, I scurried over to the nearest chair and quickly flicked through to find it.

Banshee \BAN-shee\ A female fae, first recorded by humans in Gaelic folklore. It was believed her appearance and wailing scream would warn a family that one of them will soon die. In fact, they are more conduit than death bringer. The scream others hear is a song for souls and guides them to the afterlife.

Banshee are classed as rare due to the limited number which are born into the fae courts. Every generation, three banshees are born. Known as the soul queens, each has a magical path to follow. One to guide the souls of the innocent, one to consume the souls of the cruel, and one with the gift to see how two souls might weave together and help those of our world discover their soulmates.

Each banshee holds that magic until they pass themselves, where it will be reborn into another. With enchanting voices, those banshees who have sung for souls recently will also be able to use the residual energy that leaves behind to speak with compulsion, a form of command that is nearly impossible for anyone to resist. For this reason, they are both revered and feared in equal measure.

The following passage listed some of the most well known of banshee, not all for the best reasons. From ones whose screams brought down hillsides and killed hundreds, to those who were rumoured to be insane and locked up.

I leaned back in the chair and let the knowledge sink in. One of just three? Where were the others and what had they done that could have caused Albert to fear me when we discovered what I was?