Page 12 of Wandering Witch

There was, of course, the possibility that he wasn’t a friendly ghost, and engaging with him could set him off. If he really was as old as his aura hinted towards, he would have had plenty of time to build up a lot of power.

I’d met a few ghosts who were only a decade or two old, and they had enough power to knock me flat on my ass before I could release their hold on this plane. Rarer still were ghosts who’d been around long enough to see the world wars, and if they were in foul moods, they could hurt me physically.

Something about this ghost felt so much older than even those ones, so I was terrified of what kind of strength he’d have. Probably more than enough to send Locke into a tree, if not through one in his bear form.

Friendlier ghosts at least seemed content enough with being trapped and would either look for people to talk to or find someone that would be able to help them fulfill their final requests.

I sincerely hoped we were dealing with the latter. Experience, unfortunately, had me leaning towards the former option as the most likely.

Spectral stalkers usually weren’t friendly. Even if they wanted to be, they usually weren’t made from friendly people in life.

So, when our uninvited guest decided to finally drop in on us, Locke took his chance to confront him.

He asked me if there was any way I could use my magic to hide him long enough to sneak up on the spirit. I barely gave him the subtlest of nods before he strode away from my side, the first time he'd done so since he initially felt the spirit's presence.

After he left, I gave myself a few seconds to feel fear before I sucked it up and turned my attention to casting a spell that would urge the wind to block Locke’s scent and sound. As I cast, I felt the ghost creep closer, almost curious-like. I had to pause a few times to catch my breath and still my nerves so I wouldn’t fumble the spell.

When Locke struck the ghost and sent him sprawling into the ground before me, I hurriedly changed the spell I was chanting. This new spell twisted and strengthened the air currents to form binds that restrained the ghost. As the chains settled on him, Locke picked up the specter and placed it against a tree trunk on the other side of the fire.

Prisoner placed, Locke returned to my side while we waited for him to wake up.

Locke

Idon’t like any of this. I thought as I stood at my mate’s side, watching the intruder we had bound across from us. Something about this being doesn’t seem natural. But I just can’t place my paw on it.

“It’s so strange. If he really is a ghost, you shouldn’t have been able to touch him,” Fare mused aloud as she leaned against my legs.

“Very strange indeed then. But perhaps that’s why I found something to be off about him,” I agreed as I risked a quick glance down at my mate.

I was about to say more when I heard our prisoner stirring.

We both trained our eyes on the male as he groaned and rolled his head several times in what I would guess was an attempt to ease a crick in his neck.

“Wha—what happened? I feel like I was hit by a truck.” The ghost moaned as he dropped his head and tried to raise his hands to cup it. “I had forgotten what a real headache felt like. I’m not sure if I should thank you for that or curse you.”

Fare and I shared a look, asking each other what was going on. When she shrugged at me, we both turned back to the spirit and watched as he struggled against his bindings.

“Now, um, what are the odds that you’d be so kind as to remove these pesky chains? There’s really no need for such drastic measures amongst a new friend, is there?” he asked with a jovial smile.

“And who exactly decided that we were friends?” I asked.

“Why, I did of course!” The prat’s grin grew. “After all, you two are the first ones to be able to see me in over four hundred years! So what kind of ghost would I be if I just let an opportunity like this pass me by?! Call me Roan, the last soul of the doomed Roanoke Colony.”

I cocked my head at the odd creature. Just who does this creature think he is to lay such claims upon my mate and I? I had expected my anger to rise at the audacity of the ghost. However, my bear only stirred long enough to purr with contentment.

Confusion filled me as I tried to understand what was going on. Between the strange response of my bear and the overly friendly ghost, I was at a complete loss for what to do.

At my side, I felt my mate stiffen with an emotion that gave me the sensation of excitement or joy.

“Really? You were a part of the Roanoke Colony? That’s amazing!” She cooed as she leaned towards the ghost.

“I was and I am. Every other spirit has moved on one way or another by now. So I am the very last. It is such a lonely existence, only being able to see the world change around my colony but never being able to be acknowledged by anyone.” His voice took on a pouty tone as though he was trying to garner sympathy from us.

I had no idea what his problem with solitude was. I was alone for most of my life and had rather enjoyed it. Finding my mate was just a pleasant surprise that I could have never expected.

I must have tuned out the pair because my focus only returned when I felt Fare get up from her place on the ground and start around the fire. When I reached out to stop her, my hand merely grazed the back of her jacket.

I tried to stumble after her and only caught up just as she reached the ghost and laid her hand on the chains binding him. She muttered a few words before the wind holding the spirit in place released.

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