by Lucia Ashta
I pursed my lips and didn’t bother saying a thing. It was just my luck that the one creature who could see and speak with me when I was dead—or not—would be this way. He had the answers I sought, I could tell from the look on his face. His long face was so wise that I didn’t understand how I’d never noticed it before—probably because I’d never needed answers this desperately before.
I resumed my pacing, debating how to best phrase my next questions so that I might actually get answers I understood. Because I wasn’t giving up. Oh no, I wasn’t. If there was a way to return to my body, I’d find it no matter how many cryptic replies I had to sift through.
But a shift in the energy around my body drew my attention. Something had changed. I’d missed whatever it was while I listened intently to Elwin, trying to find the gems among the fog.
Nando wasn’t crying anymore. Neither was anyone else. Everyone was staring at the two vampires, who’d drawn close to my prostate form.
Count Vabu knelt next to Nando. He was so close to my body that he almost touched me, but he didn’t. His hands remained at his side, his stare on me.
“She isn’t dead,” he said, apparently not for the first time.
I rushed to kneel next to Walt, right across from Count Vabu and Nando so that I wouldn’t miss a thing.
“I heard you,” Nando said. “But what does that mean?”
Count Vabu hesitated for only a second, but Nando was already pushing him for answers. “Please, you have to tell me with absolute clarity. She has no pulse. She isn’t breathing. She appears dead. Is she or isn’t she dead? And if she isn’t, is she alive? And what does that mean?”
Good thing Nando wasn’t speaking with Elwin. He’d have gone crazy.
Despite Nando’s desperate plea, Count Vabu didn’t answer right away. He looked first to Mordecai, who nodded, and then to his sister, who gave no encouragement that I noticed.
Then Count Vabu looked from me to my brother, and said, “She isn’t actually dead. She only appears dead.”
Nando looked as if he didn’t dare to breathe for fear of changing what he’d just heard. “You’re sure?” he whispered.
“Trust me, I know death. So does Priscilla. If there’s one thing vampires can gauge with certainty, it’s death.”
I suspected Nando was milling over the same questions that were shooting through my head, and I mentally urged him to ask them. I didn’t care if I was half-dead or whatever I was, I still wanted to know. What on earth was a vampire really like? And how, exactly, were they so familiar with death?
Though Nando wouldn’t think it the time to focus on anything but me, he was curious, just as I was....
He cleared his throat. His voice was still thick with the remnants of his tears. “Do, uh, vampires drink people’s, uh, blood, and um, ah, kill them? Is that how you know about death?”
I didn’t blame Nando for his stuttering. Count Vabu was fierce looking up close, with his nearly black eyes and perfectly composed features, a veneer capable of concealing almost anything behind it. I was just thrilled he’d asked. I was dying to know, literally.
Count Vabu stared at Nando so hard that I worried for him. Priscilla looked no kinder, towering over her bent brother.
I couldn’t stay still while I waited for the tension to pass. Surely Mordecai or Marcelo or Brave or someone would interfere if the vampire became angry with my brother. Right?
I fidgeted, though remained mindful not to touch Walt. I had no idea what might happen if I touched him, and I didn’t want to find out until I understood at least something about what was going on.
Count Vabu’s thin, wide lips drew thinner. His eyebrows pinched and his eyes gleamed a bit too predatorily for my liking.
He breathed in and out a few times as if calming himself.
Good. Take all the breaths you need.
“Priscilla and I neither drink blood nor kill people.” His words were terse. I tried hard not to notice how he didn’t speak for all vampires, only the two here.
“Not all vampires are the same, and the legends are far from accurate.”
“So you, uh, weren’t bitten by another, ah, vampire? That isn’t how you and Priscilla became what you, ah, um, are?”
Go, Nando! My brave brother, he’d gift me with the answers I was so curious to learn.
Count Vabu’s nostrils flared beneath his perfectly straight, longish nose. “No,” he ground out. “We weren’t bitten. We were cursed. Now, can we move on? I thought we had more pressing things to occupy our time than nosy questions.”
“Yes, sorry for asking.” But Nando didn’t look sorry at all, neither did Marie or Walt, who were staring at Count Vabu and Priscilla and pretending not to. “Please do continue to tell me about Isa. She’s so important to me. Please explain how she isn’t dead. Please, please tell me she isn’t dead.”
Nando’s composure was beginning to crumble again, and Count Vabu appeared to forgive him because of the circumstances.
“I assure you, your sister isn’t dead. Her spirit is merely apart from her body.”
“So she isn’t dead? You’re one-hundred percent sure she isn’t dead?”
“I’m certain, boy. Didn’t I tell you? We vampires don’t make mistakes with death.”
He didn’t really. He didn’t explain that bit at all, but neither Nando nor I cared to learn more about that anymore.
If I wasn’t dead, I needed to understand exactly what that meant. I mentally urged Nando to get to the bottom of it, but I should have known I didn’t need to do anything. He was as desperate to comprehend as I was.
“And how did her spirit become separated from her body?”
“I’d imagine the force of whatever magic she did pushed her out of her body.”
Mordecai was nodding fervently from behind them. The beads in his beard clinked. “Yes, that sounds like exactly what must have happened. The dark magic that bound the five humans to the bodies of firedrakes must have been so dark that it took both Arianne and Isa’s magic to break it. Arianne is a powerful witch. Even if her strengths lie with magical creatures, she still can handle a basic spell breaking. If it took the two of them coming together to break, then it was necessarily strong, and likely woven into the very fabric of the people it cursed.”
Mordecai fingered his beard while he thought. “Yes, the dark magic would have been strong enough to knock Isa out of her body, especially since she’s untrained and wouldn’t know how to protect herself from something like that happening.”
Nando sat back on his heels. “Then she isn’t dead.” He sounded equally shocked and relieved. “Is she still in danger of dying?”
“Yes,” Count Vabu said right away. “She can’t remain outside of her body for overly long before her body will begin to shut down without her spirit.”
“All right, so how do we get her back in her body?”
“That’s the tricky part. That’s going to be up to her.”
“Wait,” Mordecai said. “We have a bit of time before she needs to return to her body.”
“No, Mordecai,” Arianne’s voice came from somewhere in the back. Gustave was leading her over. She leaned heavily on her twin. “I know what you’re thinking, but we can’t do it.”
“Why not? It’s the perfect opportunity, you know it is.”
Whatever they were talking about, I didn’t think I was going to like it.
“She’s a girl, not an opportunity.” Arianne sounded tired and worn.
“And Albacus is my brother.”
“What does Isa have to do with Albacus?” Nando asked, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Spirits can sense other spirits, especially when the other spirit wants to be found.”
“You want Isa to remain out of her body to find Albacus.” Nando’s voice was devoid of emotion, maybe because he was running through a whole range of them as I was. I wanted to help Mordecai find Albacus, really, I did. But I also wanted to get back into my body, like, the sooner, the better
.
“Exactly, child,” Mordecai said. “She won’t need to remain out of her body for long, certainly not long enough to damage her chances of returning. This could be a blessing in disguise.”
A blessing!
“If she finds Albacus, he’ll have information to share with us. Intelligence that could turn the tides of this war, and help us wipe out the SMS before they can cause any more harm.” Mordecai’s face was that of an eager little boy, and I realized that Nando wouldn’t be able to resist his plea. Heck, neither would I.
Besides, he had some good points. I was already out of my body. It wasn’t as if he were suggesting knocking me out of my body and into this half-dead state; I was already there.
Mordecai was just suggesting we use the situation to gain an advantage, and return the brother he’d already lost once, and was torturing him to be without every day.
“All right. I’ll do it,” I said aloud, to no avail, obviously. I decided to accept the mission. So long as they were all certain it wouldn’t affect my chances of returning to my body, I’d do it.
“You’re certain it won’t impact her ability to come into her body at all?” Nando asked. “The delay, I mean. How long does she have?”
“A day, I’d imagine,” Mordecai said, and Arianne immediately spoke behind him. “Mordecai, a day is too long. Half a day, at most.”
“Half a day then.” Mordecai would take whatever he could get.
Nando deliberated. “Where is she? Her spirit?”
“Probably right here with us,” Mordecai said, and everyone immediately started looking around. Walt looked straight at me for a second, long enough that I imagined he might actually see me. But then his eyes kept moving.
“Isa?” Nando called out.
“I’m here,” I said, sadly, softly, knowing he wouldn’t hear me.
“Shall I?”
Who’s that? Oh, Elwin. I’d forgotten about the inscrutable firedrake while I listened to the others.
Elwin had moved closer, but otherwise looked as serene as he had before.
“Shall you what?” I asked.
“Shall I speak with Lady Arianne and tell her you’re here?”
“You can do that?” My eyebrows rose excitedly.
“I can do many things.”
I was careful to keep my eyes from rolling. I genuinely liked Elwin, and he was about to help me. It was just, could he be a little easier to talk with?
I schooled my half-dead face into a mask of patience. “Yes, please, Elwin. That’ s very kind of you, and I’ll be in your debt if you help me out now, while I’m not-dead—whatever I am.”
He smiled. “You owe me no debt. It is I who owes you a life debt. One that I will be certain to repay.”
All-righty then. “Then please begin with telling Arianne that I’m here and that you can speak with me.”
Elwin started making his slow way over to Arianne.
“And please also tell her that I’ll help find Albacus, as long as they tell me how to do it, and as long as there’s a sure way to get me back in my body once the time comes.”
“There are no more sureties in death than there are in life.”
Yeah, thanks for that, Elwin, I thought, as he waddled toward Arianne.
Gustave noticed the bright blue and indigo firedrake first, and looked at him intently, perhaps trying to speak with him. But soon he realized Elwin wanted Arianne, and he stepped behind her, continuing to hold her steady while allowing the firedrake space.
Elwin waited for Arianne to make eye contact and then bow her forehead. He stepped right up to her and pressed his scaled one to hers.
She closed her eyes.
Gradually, the others noticed and turned to watch, waiting silently as I was, the day thick with anticipation.
The moments, filled with the songs of birds and insects, flitted by. Walt turned in my direction for a few seconds again. I grew hopeful that he might actually sense me there, only to have that hope dashed away when he returned his attention to Elwin and Arianne.
When she opened her eyes, I realized he’d told her exactly what I asked him to—well, probably not exactly. It didn’t seem as if Elwin spoke in the same way anyone else did.
At the questioning expressions that surrounded her, she smiled tiredly. “Isa’s spirit is indeed right here with us.”
“Oh, thank heavens,” Sir Lancelot said from Brave’s shoulder, and I smiled at the little relieved-looking owl. “That’s excellent news, Lady Arianne.”
“Indeed it is, Sir Lancelot.” Arianne’s voice was kind. “She’s here with us, and even better, Elwin here can communicate with her.”
“Oh?” Mordecai said.
“It appears that she bonded with him when she performed her spell, breaking the web of darkness that held me and the others. He can see her too.”
Nando’s faced looked so hopeful then that it squeezed my heart, the one I wasn’t sure I even had anymore. My brother loved me; his love was written in his every gesture, in his every desperate touch of my limp body.
“Will Elwin ask her if she’s willing to help find Albacus?” Mordecai said.
“No need. Elwin tells me that she is.”
“Oh, thank goodness.”
“As long as she has a sure way to return to her body once she helps locate him.”
“Of course.”
“Where is she?” Nando asked.
“Elwin says she’s kneeling right next to Walt.”
Every head swiveled in my direction. Walt’s eyes glittered with tears. He stared right at me—straight through me—and didn’t see me.
My heart squeezed again.
Nando reached across my body, searching for me. His hand went right through me.
My heart squeezed so painfully I was certain I must still have it.
No one said anything for a while, until Nando snapped into action. He looked in my direction and commanded, “If Isa is going to do this, then we’re going to get moving right now. She’s going to do it fast, and get back to her body without delay. I want to hear plans of how she’s going to find Albacus. I especially want to hear plans of how she’s getting back in her body. Only once I’m convinced that she can make her way back will I agree to any additional time spent on anything else, even finding Albacus. I don’t care about turning the tides of the war if it means losing my sister for good. We’ll find another way to Albacus if we have to.”
“This is the way,” Mordecai said.
“There’s always another one. I won’t risk my sister.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Mordecai said, though he kind of was, just a bit.
“Convince me we have time to spare, and that she can enter her body without difficulty, and she can help you find your brother.” Nando wasn’t asking, he was telling. And I didn’t blame him one bit. I normally didn’t appreciate him ordering me around or making decisions for me, but nothing about the situation was normal.
He was defending me when I couldn’t. I’d take it, however it came.
“We’re wasting time,” Nando said. “Who knows how to get her back in her body?”
The magicians exchanged looks, then all stepped forward at once, circling around Nando and me. “We can figure it out together.”
“Figure it out? You don’t know how?”
“We can do it.”
Nando took them all in, nodded, and made space for them. The magicians settled in to decide the way to save my life and maybe the war.
I never would have guessed that this was how I’d contribute to the effort of preserving the world of magic. Just weeks ago, I didn’t know about magic at all.
But nothing about what had happened since I’d come charging through the gates of Acquaine on Trixie’s back was as I would have imagined it.
I was entirely certain nothing ever would be again, not now that I was a student at the Magical Arts Academy.
Half-dead, I drew nearer to the circle. I wouldn’t miss a word of their plan.
> I wasn’t going to die today. Not truly.
Ghostly Return - Book 7
Continue Isadora’s adventures in book 7 of the Magical Arts Academy.
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Acknowledgments
I’d write no matter what, because telling stories is my passion, but the following people make creating worlds (and life) a joy. I’m eternally grateful for the support of my beloved, James, my mother, Elsa, and my three daughters, Catia, Sonia, and Nadia. They’ve always believed in me, even before I published a single word. They help me see the magic in the world around me, and more importantly, within.
I’m thankful for every single one of you who’ve reached out to tell me that one of my stories touched you in one way or another, made you smile or cry, or kept you up long past your bedtime. You’ve given me reason to keep writing.
Read more by Lucía Ashta
THE WITCHING WORLD
(Young adult paranormal fantasy - a complete series)
Magic Awakens
The Five-Petal Knot
The Merqueen
The Witching World Omnibus, Books 1-3
The Ginger Cat
The Scarlet Dragon
Mermagic
Spirit of the Spell