When the Banshee Whispers

chapters 6 and 7

Chapter 6

Much to my surprise in the months following the death of my uncle, I found solace in a familiar place. Cara, Sir Isac's daughter, and I had grown close once again. Whether or not it bothered her that I'd hit her father in the head with a fire poker I have no idea. We just didn't talk about it. We had an unspoken truce. I didn't hold it against her that her father had attacked my family, and she didn't hold it against me that I'd killed him for
it.

As months rolled by we had grown closer than ever. The death of her father had aged Cara in much the same way as the death of my mother had for me. The games of children we'd loved so much lost their alure. We'd replaced running around and playing pretend with slow walks and sitting on bridges watching the water. It was a good time, a happy time.

The banshee wept the night before Cara's mother died. I saw her there, standing in the courtyard below my window. Her red dress seemed to be on fire in the moonlight, the blood on her arms as lava. I hid under my bed and covered my ears but I could still hear her wails.

I felt the guilt of her mother's death as if I'd struck her in the head as well. Cara tried to convince me that I could not have caused her illness but I never believed her. Why would the creature come to me if it were not my fault?

When I told her that I was worried I'd end up hurting her too and that I didn't think we should spend anymore time together she slapped me, hard. I looked at her through tear soaked eyes as my face stung  and my tongue bled where I'd bit it, and she looked right back at me. "Don't you dare leave me," she said firmly. My first kiss tasted of tears and blood. Fitting isn't it.

* * *

The woman who walked into the room was as close to an opposite to Finn's uncle as possible. Although both of them inspired the same dread in his chest. She walked in unescorted and un-introduced, though her kind rarely needed one. She was gorgeous and tall, taller than Finn but not so tall as Ingo. Her long white hair seemed to wave in a non existent breeze as she walked into the hall. Her eyes fixed on his uncle, an angry scowl on her face as she stalked towards him. And what eyes they were. Pale blue and piercing to an extent Finn had never seen. Aided in the fact that they were glowing. Not the typical shimmering or trick of the light, actually radiating blue light. In fact her entire body glowed. Her white dress nearly translucent as it failed at its attempt to conceal the glowing skin beneath.

The valkyrie strode quickly straight up to Finn's uncle Ingo.

"Amelina," the Ghostmaker said with a nervous smile just before the valkyrie slapped him hard across the face. "Ow," he said as his hand moved to his cheek.

"That was for...!"

"I know what it was for," he interrupted. "Maybe not the most appropriate time for this," he said under his breath.

"Appropriate!" the valkyrie shouted as she threw her arms out. "Are you trying to talk to me about what's appropriate?!"

"Maybe," Ingo said angrily as he stepped forward with his hands clenched at his sides.

"Look, Ghostmaker!" the valkyrie stepped into him.

The argument was interrupted when Sir Gunthar cleared his throat. The two stood nearly nose to nose as they stared each other down. Finn sat in near shock as he looked down at them. The white valkyrie glowing as she stared his uncle down. How he could remain so unflinching with those glowing blue eyes boring into him was incomprehensible. Finn was struck again at the duality of the two. The valkyrie glowing white and immaculate. The Ghostmaker was grubby in a long dark coat. His long hair the same jet black as Finn's father's.