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."

guard, and I shake my head, trying to refocus. "I'm sorry. I've never

once again. "Why are here, girl? This isn't a place

you

mentally and physically, it takes a while to gather the words. "I 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:

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

you have a penchant for barging in where you're not expected. Grimoire doesn't like to be disturbed,

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

Ava: Not

sense that it-he-would have

kind of on the

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

I venture to ask. The spirit must have some experience with the world. The way they roll

in satiating their own curiosity. "How can I reach Grimoire?" The spirit blinks, their gaze sweeping around us. I hesitate,

one else is

thing?"

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

one who came barging in here. Shouldn't you know where

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

back in mid-air. It's surreal, watching them float there like

the canopy above, which has parted into a frame of green trees surrounding a sliver of blue sky. "Perhaps I

and start anew."

mannerisms, doesn't seem to have

unable to

is like something out of a horror movie. They sit up so abruptly it makes me flinch, their eyes burning into mine with an intensity