Tangled

Unshift 286

Unshift 286

286 Ava: Not Yet Ready.

*Sealed? By the water, you mean?"

"Of course not." They look irritated now, likely by how slow my brain is catching up to their thought process. The seals, girl"

"So, a lockbox?"

"Lockb-you humans have such odd innovations." The way they're peering into my face, it feels like they're tearing apart my memories to educate themselves.

"In a sense, I suppose. It isn't that easy" They sit.

In the air.

Floating.

Just-there. As if one would lower themself into a chair, only there's nothing there.

"Why so surprised?" they ask, tilting their head as they blink owlishly in my direction.

Gesturing toward them, I just say, "You're floating. In mid-air."

They roll their eyes again, a surprisingly human gesture for such an otherworldly being. "And you're standing on the ground. How extraordinary."

off guard, and I shake my head, trying

changing the subject abruptly once again. "Why are here, girl? This

you

I felt within me. My magic, I think. I didn't mean to intrude on your, er, world: The spirit clicks their tongue, annoyance flashing across their ethereal features. "You make quite a

in my mind. "What do you mean? I've never been here

like I'm an obtuse child they're obligated to handle. "Not here, specifically. But you have a penchant for barging in where you're not expected. Grimoire doesn't like to

girl. Including the fact that Grimoire prefers his peace and quiet. Yet here you are, once again, stumbling into places you don't belong "I'm not trying to stumble into anything. I'm just trying to connect with my book.

Not Yet

sense that

on the

with a curled lip and a slow

it?" I venture to ask. The spirit must have some experience with the world. The way they roll their eyes and the timing of their humor feels

will only lead me nowhere. They don't seem interested in a two-way conversation, only in satiating their own curiosity. "How can I reach Grimoire?" The spirit blinks, their gaze sweeping around us. I hesitate, then follow suit, scanning our surroundings. Beyond our small circle of vibrant green, there's nothing but a vast expanse of

no one else is

Grimoire, little human thing?" the spirit

I protest, "I thought you were going to tell me. After all, they went on and on about how Grimoire doesn't like to be disturbed and enjoys his peace and

"You're the one who came barging in here. Shouldn't you know where

anything about him," I counter. "You seem to know him

mid-air. It's

has parted into a frame of green trees surrounding a sliver of

and start anew."

my spine. This spirit, for all its human-like mannerisms, doesn't seem to have any real empathy for my life. I'm

I ask, unable to keep

spirit's reaction is like something out of a horror movie. They sit up so abruptly it makes me flinch, their eyes burning into