Part 8 (1/2)
”Nine to be precise, but only one spirit.” Burble's voice grew low and quiet. ”When that is gone, you are lost forever.”
”What happened to him?” Evelina couldn't help but ask.
”We cannot be certain.” Burble flattened her lips. ”He's wandered into the mist-an unconsecrated part of the firmament. Very difficult to trace.”
”To oblivion?”
”Heavens no! Worse than that!” Burble warbled. ”Only the Witches' Council can send you there. And only they may call you back.”
”Can't something be done?” Tally's features scrunched. ”Can't the Council do anything-send out a search party?”
”His cosmic twin is searching for him now. With any luck, she'll get a lead, but there are no guarantees.”
According to Grammy Crimm, all Water Witches had a cosmic twin watching over them, but they rarely revealed themselves. Few witches discovered the ident.i.ty of their cosmic guardian. It wasn't necessary.
Evelina disagreed. She had a burning desire to know who hers was. After all, didn't she have a right to know who was shadowing her every move? Shouldn't there be an interview process or something. What if there was some conflict of interest. How did you know if they really had their heart in it?
”In the meantime,” Burble's voice interrupted her thoughts, ”be careful out there.”
”Careful of what?” Abby spread her hands wide. ”We don't even know what this Reef Hag looks like!”
”I do.” Evelina said.
A collective gasp followed.
”Take care,” Burble's voice rose. ”Contact is never random when a Reef Hag is involved.”
”She's after Evelina?” Abby's chest puffed out like she was bristling for a fight. ”Is that what you're saying?”
”Or someone close to her.” Burble leveled a long look on Evelina, as though she might pull it from her brain. ”It's difficult to say.”
”What can we do?” Tally s.h.i.+fted her gaze from one end of the tree fort to the other, as though expecting the Reef Hag to leap out. ”I understand she can take other forms.”
”Don't talk to strangers.” Abby c.o.c.ked her head at Tally. ”Especially the kind who want to brand a branch on your heel.”
”What if it happens?” Evelina felt it prudent to ask.
”Know your heart.” Burble sounded grave. ”Trust in your powers and no poison can leak in. There is no other cure.” Burble pulled a sea sponge out of her pocket, tossed it on the bar, then pulled her ear. ”I have great faith in you, girls!” She trilled.
And Poof!
She disappeared.
Abby appeared miffed. ”We don't even have our powers yet.”
”That's why she's targeting novices.” Evelina trembled. ”We have no confidence. We don't know the full source of our powers.”
Tally stared at the spot Burble vacated. ”Which means we're sitting ducks.”
”It's ugly.”
”It's stupid.”
”It's gross!” Evelina said with great feeling, weighing in after Abby and Tally.
”How did we get stuck doing this?” Abby scrunched up her nose, staring down at the slimy squid in her hand. ”d.a.m.n! I was hoping for messenger duty. When do we get to drive one of those Air Jet things?”
”Possibly next time.” Tally grimaced, plopping another squid down on the table for Abby to squeeze the ink out of. ”Of course, only pages deliver official council news.”
As though on cue, Lily zoomed by in an Air Jet, smiling and waving madly at Evelina from the white flying scooter.
Evelina waved back, wis.h.i.+ng she could talk to Lily for just a few minutes. She was anxious to hear news from White Water, or anything Lily might know about the sudden death of Melvin Ruggles.
Right now she had to concentrate on getting through this compet.i.tion without puking.
”Petrified. Did you get that?” Abby nudged Evelina's arm. ”For Oceana.” Abby tossed the squid into the tank under the surfboard.
Evelina gazed into the bamboo bucket to see if she'd heard right. The word puddles' floated in the water in black ink where Abby squeezed the squid. ”Petrified.” Evelina scrawled the word on the chalkboard behind her. ”They each have three.”
”Two more.” Tally gave a s.h.i.+ver. ”Then they can unscramble the words and chant the correct spell.”
Evelina pondered the list.
A tough challenge.
The wind was high and the ocean choppy.
The novice warlocks had to dive from their raft into the ocean to retrieve squids, tagged with their tribal color, then swim to sh.o.r.e and deliver it to the recording station-their job. When squeezed each squid spelled a word. Abby wasn't liking that a whole lot. After delivering all five, the last warlock must unscramble the words to complete a spell. The first team who did won.
Apprentices and mentors cheered them on from sh.o.r.e. Warlock councilors kept watch from a podium, which resembled a large crow's nest on the edge of the sh.o.r.e. The pressure was on.
”Hummm.” Evelina considered the list. She read Oceana's aloud, ”Papaya, petrified, puddles.”
Abby gave a hoot of laughter. ”What kind of spell is that?”
Evelina continued to read, White Water's this time. ”Fixed, for, locks.” Her gaze s.h.i.+fted to Lake of the Isles. ”Thunder, battle, and blood.”
CRACK!.
A bolt of lightning split the air, slicing the surfboard in half, catapulting the bucket into the air.
The squids screeched in the tank below.
Evelina jumped back. ”Whoa! I thought you had to have all five for the spell to work!”
”Wow!” Abby waved at the smoke, rising from the burnt surfboard. ”You added an and' I think.”
Nebula Sludge stalked toward them, appearing out of nowhere. ”Don't speak the words, Crimm!” Her face puckered in outrage. ”Only write them.” Her slanted green eyes narrowed to slits. ”I thought I made that perfectly clear.”