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."

trying to refocus. "I'm sorry. I've never seen anything like

once again. "Why are here,

you

was... I was trying to focus on a new connection I felt within me. My magic, I think. I didn't mean to intrude on your, er, world: The spirit

in my mind. "What do you mean?

Grimoire doesn't like to be disturbed, you know," Energy fizzes through my

settled in perpetual annoyance. "I know many things, girl. Including the fact that Grimoire prefers his peace and quiet. Yet here you are, once again, stumbling into places you

Ava: Not Yet

sense that

kind of on the nose,

like you manage a contract with Grimoire? They inspect every inch of me with a curled lip and a slow shake of their head.

out in 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 very human. Much more than their appearance. "Acons, perhaps?" They shrug. "Time is

further questioning 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

else is

Grimoire, little human thing?" the

on and on about how Grimoire doesn't like to be disturbed and enjoys his peace

"You're the one who came barging in here.

know him quite well. I figured you'd know where

It's surreal, watching them float there

to the canopy above, which has parted into a frame of green trees surrounding a sliver of

and start anew."

for all its human-like mannerisms, doesn't seem to have

to keep

it makes me flinch,