Page 65 of Demon of Dreams

“Cockatoos.” He tapped another finger. “Parakeets. Mynas. Probably more. But ravens—ravens can definitely talk. You just don’t hear about it as much, because they’re not common pets.”

“Well maybe they can,” I said, “but I don’t think most ravens see you on your knees in a dark parking lot, flap down in front of you, and say the word, ‘Vesperwood.’”

“Damn.” Ash’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”

I nodded.

“That is socool.”

“Is it? I found it pretty terrifying. A bird repeating a word that a monster in my dream had just said to me—a word I’d never heard before? That either meant that the bird could read my mind, or that I was losing mine.”

“I think there are a few other explanations,” Felix said. “For instance, it’s possible that the bird and the dream were both magical projections, the result of a spell someone was using to contact you. Or have you considered whether—”

“Da-da-da-da-da,” Ash said, holding his hand up in Felix’s direction. “Not now,professor. I want to hear the rest of Cory’s story.”

I did not find the idea that someone was casting spellsatme to be as comforting as Felix seemed to think it was. I also didn’t think a projection could leave me a totally real, totally corporeal feather. But I didn’t have that feather anymore, or my jacket, so maybe Felix was right.

“So go on,” Ash prompted. “What did you do next?”

“Threw up in the motel bathroom?” I said, wondering if I should have omitted that part too. “I was pretty convinced I was going crazy, but then I heard this noise out in the lobby, and when I went out to check on it, they were there.”

“They who?”

“The tenekiri.”

“Whoa,” Ash said again. “That’s fucking terrifying.”

Nice to know he finally agreed with me.

“Did they say anything?” Felix asked. “How many were there? Was it just them, or did there seem to be anyone else with them, directing them, maybe?”

“There were three of them. And one did say something, but it was in a language I couldn’t understand. Then the main one pointed at me, and they started chasing me, so I ran. There were fireballs involved.”

“Like the alcohol?” Ash asked.

“Like flaming balls of fire being lobbed at my head.”

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah, that was pretty much my feeling. I didn’t know what to do. I’d just had one panic attack and felt like I was about to have another, so I just ran. The motel is close to the highway, and I wasn’t thinking straight, so I ran up to the road and almost got hit by a car. The driver gave me a ride when I asked, but then he acted like he hadn’t even seen the tenelkiri following me, which only made me more convinced I was crazy. Then I thought I should look up the word ‘Vesperwood’ and see what it meant, and I found these weird, old blog posts with pictures and Latin phrases, and I figured out it was in Wisconsin, but I still didn’t know anything else, and then—well, then I just kind of hitchhiked my way here.”

That was leaving out a fuckinglot, but I’d already told Dean Mansur about what happened at the rest stop. I wasn’t telling anyone else. And I’d go to my grave without mentioning the Balsam Inn again. I was pretty sure if I tried to talk about it, Noah wouldputme in my grave. Best not to tempt fate.

“That’s so weird, and so cool,” Ash said. “I’m actually a little jealous. I had to do an interview and an application to get in here.” He looked at Felix. “Didn’t you have to do that too?”

“Something like that,” Felix said, though he looked down at the floor as he said it. Then again, Felix often looked at the floor when he talked, so that didn’t necessarily mean anything. “I definitely didn’t get a raven coming to fetch me. But then, it’s different for paranormal students.”

“How?” I asked. “And why?”

“Everyone has to apply to get in,” Ash said. “But paranormal students have to take an oath not to use our powers against the school or anyone who studies or works here. Which is ridiculous, because witch students don’t have to take that oath, but they’re just as capable of using their powers for evil or whatever.”

“But whatareyour powers?” I looked at Felix. “And what did you mean when you said you didn’t have wingsanymore?”

“Just that. I had to give them up to come here.”

“But that’s not fair. I can’t believe the academy asked you to do that as a condition of coming here.”

“Oh, they didn’t. That was my family.”

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