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."

shake my head, trying to refocus. "I'm

hand, changing the subject abruptly once again. "Why are here, girl? This isn't a

you

magic, I think. I didn't

I frown, confusion swirling in my mind. "What do you

doesn't like to be disturbed, you know," Energy fizzes through my veins, my heart beat rapid and shallow.

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

Ava: Not

that it-he-would

of on the nose, isn't

with Grimoire? They inspect every inch of me with a curled lip and a slow shake of their head. "Has the world changed

the world. The way they roll their eyes and the timing of

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

no one else

is Grimoire, little human thing?" the spirit asks, crossing their

tell me. After all, they went on and on about how Grimoire

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

"You seem to know him quite well. I figured you'd

spirit groans, dramatically falling flat on their back in mid-air. It's surreal, watching them float there like they're lying on an

they announce to the canopy above, which has parted into a frame

and start anew."

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

possible?" I ask, unable to keep the worry from

movie. They sit up so abruptly it makes me flinch, their eyes