At least, that’s what I think he says. Because as our eyes meet, my ears stop working, along with the rest of my body. Except for my heart, which flops around in my chest like a fish on dry land.

Bran and the boy wait for me to say something, but my mouth is on sympathy strike with the rest of my body, so I just stand there like an idiot.

One side of the boy’s lips quirks up. “I’m Siaka.”

“Louis,” I manage to get out.

Then he does what any normal French person would do when they meet a friend of a friend. He leans in to give me a quick peck on each cheek. In spite of it being a totally innocent gesture, when his face brushes mine, my skin flames and my ears burn.

Oh, god, please don’t let me blush.

Luckily Bran starts talking, so when we step back from our introductory cheek-kisses, I focus on my mentor and not on the boy who caused my body’s all-out revolution.

“Siaka’s father is my cousin on my mother’s side, from Brittany. And his mother’s family are well-known guérisseurs from Mali. They are the most ancient line of Flame-fingers in that land.”

I nod, still avoiding Siaka’s eyes. I touch two fingers to my cheek, pretending I’m scratching it. My skin is on fire.

“And Louis is—” Bran begins.

Siaka cuts him off. “Yeah, I’ve heard about you.”

I can’t help looking at him now. How much does he know?

“We study you guys, since revenants are our specialty topic.” He smiles again. It’s a nice, friendly smile, totally open. I breathe a sigh of relief. He must not have noticed my temporary paralysis.

“I heard you betrayed your abusive, drug-dealing stepdad and got him killed by his supplier. That was fierce! I totally would have done the same thing.”

“Siaka!” Bran sounds shocked.

“What?” Siaka looks at Bran, a challenge in his eyes. “That was the brave thing to do. He was protecting his mom and siblings.”

“He could have gone to the police instead,” suggests Bran.

“Like they would have done anything,” said Siaka, a tone of bitterness beneath his words. He tears his gaze from Bran and nods at me. “Respect!”

“Thanks,” I say uncomfortably.

“It just sucks that it got you turned into a numa. But hey, it’s all good now, right?”

“I still feel pretty bad about a lot of things.” I throw Bran a glance.

“Well, now you’re back. You have all the time in the world to make things right,” Siaka says.

This time, I’m able to look him in the eyes. “That’s exactly what I plan to do.”

The smile he gives me in return seems to say so many different things that I don’t know how to interpret it.