Page 53 of The Tree of Spirits
“No need to be snippy,” the ghost said through a smile. “You know I hold your magic in the highest esteem, Savannah. The fact that the Chameleon did not was its own undoing. Itunderestimated you.” She stroked her chin thoughtfully. “A lot of people seem to make the same mistake.”
“It’s my adorable face,” I said drily. “It throws them all off guard.”
Nixi tittered. “Oh, yes. I really think you’re on to something there.”
I turned to Capricorn. “So that’s it? The Chameleon is gone?”
“Oh, it’s not over yet,” Nixi said before she could answer. “Sure, you killed the beast once, but it will be back.” She rubbed her hands together in delight. “Chameleons are hardy creatures, you know. You actually need to kill them four times before they finally reveal their true form, the only form you can truly kill.”
“Fantastic,” Capricorn said, and she sounded as excited as I was at the perspective of fighting the monster four more times.
“How long before it…revives?” I asked Nixi.
“It’s hard to say. It could be weeks, days, or even as short as just a few hours.”
“I will keep a look out,” Capricorn said, tightening the straps on her backpack.
Nixi watched her. “Going so soon?”
“I have a Chameleon to track. That is why I’m here. So I’d best get back to work.”
“And I’d best get back to my bath.” A rapturous smile slid across the ghost’s lips.
“Yourbath?” I asked, confused.
“Yes, my bath. In the ocean, of course. I adore the ocean. The sound of the waves. The smell of seaweed. The tang of salt on my tongue.” She sighed. “When I was alive, I often visited the ocean. It was my place, my sanctuary whenever I needed to think or calm myself or get my bearings. Even after death, being there, it stirs up such soothing memories.” Nixi sighed again. “Farewell, ladies. See you soon.” She winked, then faded away.
“I have to get moving too,” Capricorn told me. “Until next time, Savannah Winters.”
Then, as effortlessly as Nixi the ghost, she vanished before my eyes, fading away like smoke in the wind.
CHAPTER 4
MAGICAL MISSTEPS
The Emporium clocktower tolled out a heavy beat, a not-so-subtle reminder that I was late. I started running in the direction of the taco restaurant.
But by the time I made it to the restaurant, the pickup line was all the way out the door. Great. The Mistress Meeta encounter had cost me dearly, and so had my run-in with the Chameleon. A few minutes ago, this place would’ve been empty. Sighing, I tried not to imagine what punishment awaited me if I returned to the conference center late. Again.
I had to get those tacos fast! And I had—I glanced at the clock—only fifteen minutes to bring them back to the conference center. Yeah, that so wasn’t happening. The line was moving like glaciers rolling across the land. Which meant I’d be out of here in a millennia or two. Unless…
I reached into my backpack and pulled out the page I’d gotten from Mistress Meeta. I glanced down at it, ideas swirling in my mind. This was a teleportation spell. Maybe I could justteleportfurther up the line. Yeah, that was perfect.
I took a quick glance around to make sure no one was looking. No one was. Everyone’s eyes were glued to their phone screens. They were so engrossed in ignoring everything andeveryone around them that they probably wouldn’t even notice if the building fell on their heads.
Thus convinced of the absolute awesomeness of my plan, I took a closer look at the spell. It was long. And complicated. There was a very technical introduction, followed by several highly-detailed diagrams, each with its own novel-length footnote. It read like a mash-up between a physics textbook and a philosophical exploration of the human soul.
One of the diagrams looked kind of like a constellation, but it wasn’t any constellation that I knew. It seemed that I was supposed to…draw the constellation-symbol-thingy in the air while keeping my desired destination rooted in my mind.
Yeah, that didn’t sound vague at all.
But I was bored and late and really, honestly, what did I have to lose? So I used my hand as a paintbrush and drew the bizarre symbol on a canvas of nothingness. I felt a rubber-bandsnap!of movement and a solid splash of vertigo.
But I’d jumped halfway up the line!
“Cool.”
Cooler yet, no one had even noticed. Fortunately, I’d caught my balance before slamming into the oblivious guy in front of me.
