Spirits

by Leslie Edens Copeland

  "Sorry," he whispered to me. "I must take precautions."

  I nodded, stunned past speech. Coçeaux seemed disinterested in Emmett's transformation and regarded me instead.

  "I'm curious," she said. "How did you, Able's child, communicate with one of my shades?"

  "Aren't you curious about Plouton? I thought the message rather touching—and quite well-written," said Emmett, his teeth clacking together in his bony skull jaws.

  "Ugh. Dry up, you old bone bag," said Coçeaux. "Some spirits just don't know how to manifest. I was talking to Able's child, not to you!"

  I cringed as Coçeaux leaned in closer, her greenish, wizened face only inches from mine. I sniffed the minty leaf smell of her wildly waving hair.

  I said in a small voice, "I—I only wrote to free my father. Then some words showed up from nowhere. I guess one of your shades wrote them?"

  Coçeaux kept staring at me brazenly, never blinking, as if she expected me to run for it. When I didn't move, she said, "I've heard that there are spiritualists who can commune with shades. Though I'm over a thousand and I had yet to see this thing. Until now."

  She whirled up into the air, her form spread out like the arbor of a tree high above us, huge and green and sheltering. Watching this, I nearly flipped over backwards in my awe. Large, leaf-like shapes flew to her from all over, merging into her giant shape and I surmised that these were her shades.

  "I've thought over Plouton's offer and I've decided to give him another chance," said Coçeaux in a high, piercing voice. "Please don't draw any more of my shades into your writing, Able's child. It may harm them. I've sent Able your way. His progeniture is too strong for my tastes."

  "Wow!" said Emmett. His skull jaw swung loose in shock.

  Coçeaux swirled in a great, green vortex up into the deadlight sky, twisting and turning, absorbing shades as she went. When she had reached a height of fifty feet, she curved her green bulk downward and plunged at the Underwood portal, hitting it with thundering force. The earth around the portal buckled and cracked as she and all her green girth spun through it and down into the Underwood. A few green shades trickled after her, bouncing over the edge and down. At last, Coçeaux disappeared completely, leaving only the cracked edges of the portal behind.

  "There, that's done," said Emmett, dusting off his hands. His flesh had begun to re-grow and he looked scarred, but a little more human.

  "Will you please be cute again?" I said in exasperation. "Was all that necessary?"

  "Absolutely necessary. Because I am cute, as you have correctly discerned," said Emmett in a lecturing voice. Curls of black hair sprung from his skull and in moments, his appearance had returned to normal—or, if not strictly normal, at least what I loved and adored.

  "If I don't take the precaution of making myself hideous, I run a great risk of becoming entrapped by Coçeaux," said Emmett. "I'm quite surprised she didn't take after you. She has been known to ensnare especially beautiful girls and I have never seen a girl as beautiful as you are. But it seems she feared your power, regardless of your beauty—and feared your father's tendency to produce such power in his children."

  "You mean she was thinking of children with my father?" I said, disgusted.

  "Spirit procreation," said Emmett, nodding. "Like the bat-Chi's. It's a nasty business. Of course, it's no problem for her. She's legion and can be halved any number of times without damage. But he'd be permanently cut in half. He's extremely lucky Coçeaux ran into you. I doubt she'll trouble Able d'Espers again."

  Dad had struggled with her a long time, first freed by Sam, then by me. Would Coçeaux really let him be now? Had they finally broken up for good?

  Emmett took my arm and patted it, the tingle of his touch comforting me.

  I said, "If Dad's free, we'd better find him—before he gets himself into any more trouble. Why did Coçeaux's shades get drawn into my writing anyway, Emmett?"

  "Hmmm." Emmett tapped his forehead. "I think because . . . you go into light trances when you write, do you not? Very similar to spirit trances. I'd say you're summoning the shades in, inviting them to express and enact their desires. Coçeaux's shades wanted . . . well, you heard what they wanted."

  A legion spirit. Were there others like her? Slowly, it dawned on me. The All had to be legion too. I glanced at Emmett from the corner of my eye. "And your shades, Em?"

  Emmett coughed and his ears reddened. Then he cleared his throat and spat a vial of red liquid out. It tinkled to a stop on the grass. He quickly absorbed it with the toe of his shoe.

  "Pardon me," he said with an embarrassed grin.

  Where had that vial come from?

  "What do your shades want? Emmett? You know, I found strange writing in my notebook when all this started. Things I don't remember putting there. Did the shades do that?" I stared him down and he ducked away from my gaze.

  "Great All, Aether!" he said, blushing. "How should I know what they want? They skitter all over the place without checking in. Constantly into everything above and below. Really, I'm amazed they haven't caused more consternation than they do." He took my hand and put his arm around my shoulders. "Anyway, I'm sorry if they messed up your writing. I do enjoy your stories so very, very much." His kiss landed behind my ear, sparking and tingling.

  "You do?" I couldn't for the life of me ever remember reading one of my stories to him.

  "I do. With stories like that, I could get through a few more centuries." He looped his arm through mine, and we strolled together toward the forest, following his habitual route. "Shall we return to Dead Town, my dear one?"

  "We shall," I said. "I have just one question for you before we go. One small missive to deliver."

  "Whatever could that be? Certainly, my little protégée. Ask away." He poised to float up, his lecturing finger raised, eager to give a nice, long talk.

  I lowered my eyes, heat rising to my face. "How long is an hour in ecto-time? Because I have something I promised to give you."

  I wrapped my hand around his tie and pulled him behind the closest slough tree. He drifted easily after me, he was so light, the tips of his boots trailing the grass, his eyes closed, and his mouth wide in an ecstatic grin. I guess he took my meaning. Time to figure out this spirit-mortal kissing thing once and for all. I promised him an hour in ecto-time. Of course, who really knew how long that was?

  "I imagine no one has researched this subject very thoroughly," I murmured, running my lips lightly over his cheek. Only a slight sting resulted. I shivered and Emmett flickered.

  "Spirit-mortal kissing? Yes, I think there have been some treatises, actually. I may have to visit the spirit library to dig them up, but if you want to read them—" Emmett babbled nervously, his form shifting in and out, as I moved closer.

  Oh, my All! He was so clueless at times. But I loved him for it all the more.

  "Em . . . let's add to the existing body of knowledge," I said. "With research. And experimentation. Let's, ah, push the boundaries of what's been discovered."

  I lowered my eyelids at him, giving him my smile sly that was probably even seductive. Emmett grew steadier then. He nodded eagerly.

  "Yes, we must—" he began and before he could say another thing, I covered his mouth with my own. I kissed him with all the passion I'd been holding back for weeks and he groaned, his form merging into mine, his lips soft and willing. A snap of spectricity jarred me, but I held out my hand, absorbed the blue fire, and took the sting out of it. I kissed him deeper, tasting lightning.

  How lucky that spirits don't have to breathe, I thought as I explored kissing him. We could practice all the more and if I was any sort of medium, we'd get something worked out within the hour or have a marvelous time trying.

  ***

  Flushed and giddy, Emmett and I walked arm-in-arm through the gray field (careful of the spirit portals) and into the Disenchanted Forest. After three trips through a slough tree, I didn't find the woods depressed me anymore. I caught sight of several birds hoppin
g from branch to branch in the woods and chirping, their ties to Bellum severed.

  "The birds are back to normal! They're not massing for Bellum!" I cried to Emmett, pointing. Then I had to get a firm grip on his hand to stop him from drifting off, for he was having trouble keeping on the ground.

  "I'm so light without my kriot. I'd better start accumulating things to make up for it," said Emmett. He broke a twig off a tree and pushed it into his side.

  "Why? Isn't it nice to be so light and trouble-free?" I asked.

  "Perhaps it is!" he said. He wafted out of my grip and spun a loop-de-loop through the trees. "Say! Come fly with me, Aether!"

  I rose up on my own power to meet my spirit boyfriend among the treetops. When I grasped his nearly insubstantial hand, he whooped and pulled me high above the woods, through mist and clouds, spinning crazily until I shrieked with joy. Below us, Dead Town's black spires appeared on the horizon.

  "Em! You're not afraid to fly anymore!" I said, gasping for breath from all the swooping and screaming and laughing. In answer, Emmett glided downward in crazy spirals, drawing me after him, yelling the whole way. Until we lighted abruptly on a flat surface that, when I opened my eyes, proved to be the flagged stones of Emmett's spirit world castle. We stood completely in the open on the flat, expansive roof of All's Hold and all around us were spirits gathering for some kind of party.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Home Again

  "Heather! It's you!" shouted someone in the crowd of spirits that surrounded Emmett and I. Then I saw the Paranormals! I bounced from Trenton to Oskar to Lily, hugging each one in turn. From above, the two bat-Chi's dive-bombed us, squee-yipping with joy, and covering our faces with tiny licks.

  "What are you guys doing here?" I said.

  "You've been missing for a week, Heather," said Lily. "The spirits call us 'the remains of the Coterie Four.' Apparently, we're the most talented mortal spiritualists around. The spirits wanted us standing by while they searched the realm for you."

  "They said you've been taken by the Bellum." Trenton hugged me again, nearly knocking me over. "I'm so glad you're back. I did not want to face that giant snake man."

  "But we would have," Oskar said quickly.

  Trenton returned to Oskar's side and held his hand. "Yes, we would have. For you."

  "Thanks, Paranormals," I said. "It's good to know you've got my back."

  I felt a presence then, one I hadn't felt in quite a while. Could it be?

  —Heather, turn around.

  I heard it in my head, that familiar voice. I turned—and there stood Sam! Finally! And with him, an older man. Worn, yet handsome, tall, and with Sam's green eyes.

  "Dad?" I could barely believe it! I ran to hug his shifting, ghostly shape.

  "Heather!" said Dad. "Honey! I never thought I'd see you again! And then you set me free! I can't believe my baby girl is all grown up and a medium, too. I'm so proud of you! I love you! I'm—sorry about being so hard to hug. I kind of drift in and out all the time."

  "Oh, Dad! I'm used to it," I said, hugging him harder until he materialized in earnest and gave me a bear hug to take my breath away.

  "We searched for you for so long," I said from within his arms. "Dad, don't leave us again, please?" Then I whispered in his ear, "Especially because of Sam."

  Dad glanced at Sam, who was standing at some distance talking to Lily. "Why, what's up with Sam?" he asked.

  "I'm kind of used to managing on my own," I said. "And I've got friends to help me. But Sam needs you. He depends on you and he really looks up to you. Plus, I've got a spirit guide and he doesn't."

  "I see," said Dad. "It's mainly Sam who needs me around, and you—?"

  I hugged him very tight then. "Daddy, please don't go away again."

  He stroked my hair and patted my back while I tried not to cry. "I'll stay, sweetheart. I promise."

  A sob finally escaped my mouth and then the dam burst. Tears poured down my cheeks. Dad started to cry too, and he had to fish out his spectral handkerchief and mop his face.

  After a long time, he let me go, both of us sniffling a little.

  "I didn't want to be gone for so long," he said. "I thought I could make things right if I could track down the Bellum."

  I shook my head. "You can't be serious, Dad. I'm the only member of this family who should face the Bellum. You need to stay at the Vic, where you're needed."

  "Yes, dear." Dad hung his head and smiled.

  "For Sam," I said. "He needs you. I'm perfectly fine."

  I don't think Dad bought this for a second, but he covered it up nicely by acting very serious. "The spirit faction of the Coterie told me how grateful they are to you and Emmett for ridding us of the Bellum menace," he said. "Spirits can travel freely and gather in the open once more. The birds are back to normal, the Turned Against have gone into hiding, and now, the city won't be deserted because of dog attacks."

  "Mortal spiritualists should be safer now, too," I said. "Have you met the new Coterie Four?"

  Dad waved to Trenton, Oskar, and Lily. "Unusual choices for the mortal faction," he said. "Usually the mortal Coterie consists of highly powerful spiritualists. You qualify, but as for those three . . ."

  "They qualify, believe me," I said quickly. "Maybe they're a bit weak in seeing and summoning, but they've got it where it counts."

  "They must be quite brave," said Dad. "I heard they faced the Bellum along with you. Well, we shall see. The spirit faction will be watching with great interest. Valente in particular spoke highly in favor of these three.

  "Where is Valente?" I wanted to thank him for watching over me and Sam. But Dad's face fell and I realized. "Oh. He must be in the Dead Sea."

  "He is. But I exchanged words with him in the shallows," said my father. "His time there may be short. He lived a life of benevolence and died protecting others."

  "He did his time, if you ask me, watching over me and Sam and keeping the portal open," I said. "I'm grateful to him."

  "And so am I," said Dad. "For protecting my progenies."

  I winced. My father did try to sound so grand sometimes. However, I would not have exchanged him for any other father in the worlds.

  "I want to summon Valente," I said. "To thank him and tell him where his bones finally wound up. He may be interested to know they're in a sugar canister on our kitchen table in the Vic."

  "You might want to find a better place," Dad warned. "Or scatter his ashes. Perhaps he has a preference."

  "We'll ask him," I said.

  "Great idea!" said Dad. "Valente and I are old friends. We used to swap spiritualist tricks in the living days."

  "We'll hold a séance," I said. "A nice long one with all my favorite spirits presiding. Just let me say hello to a few people first."

  I gave Dad a last hug and squeezed into the crowd. I passed the Hitchhiking Ghosts, Pastoria, and Esoterica. I passed Oskar tilting Trenton's face up to kiss him. I smiled. I strolled around a swirling mass of spirits I did not know—and bumped smack into my brother.

  "Sam!" I hugged him or maybe he hugged me. "There you are! Now that we found Dad, will you finally come home? Do you realize you missed your own graduation?"

  He shrugged, his smile resigned.

  —Had to do what I had to do, Heather.

  "Emmett and I ran into Coçeaux out there," I said. "Dad's ex-girlfriend. We convinced her to release Dad. She's gone to be with the Lord of the Underwood and Emmett thinks she won't trouble Dad again."

  —So modest. But we heard the real story from Dad. You were almost single-handedly responsible for saving him.

  I lowered my gaze to my feet but couldn't help floating a few inches above the flagstones.

  "I mostly got lucky," I said. "And Emmett helped a great deal. Actually, I think Coçeaux was afraid of both me and you, Sam. That's why she let him go."

  —And you didn't have to punch him to get him out of the half-reality maze like I did.

  "You punched Dad? Sam!" I was
shocked. "Violence is not the answer!"

  "I had to!" said Sam aloud. "Hey, don't knock it. It worked."

  Several spirits, including Bubba, looked over at us curiously. Sam ducked his head and went back to telepathy.

  —The Paranormals messaged me that you and Emmett disappeared. Lily was the one who got through. She's developed messaging! We all came to search for you. Then the spirit Coterie got involved and Madame Fustery said she believed you'd gone to find Emmett's brother. That's when we received a message from a dog. This little white spirit dog brought us a scroll that told us Emmett's brother is the Bellum! We never thought we'd see you again after that. But word came from a forest demon that you and Emmett and the Bellum were all in the Underwood. The others gave you up for gone at that point. But I had a feeling—that's all it was, not a vision, just a feeling—that you'd make it out.

  "Right again!" I said.

  Sam grabbed me and hugged me, swinging me around and around. "I'm so glad I was," he said.

  Behind Sam's back, I watched Emmett pop out of the crowd and greet Dad with a friendly handshake, although it was kind of difficult to see, because they both wafted in and out. Sam turned around. He shot Dad a pointed look.

  "Oh, I see!" said Dad. He gave Emmett a stern frown and said, "Been seeing a lot of my daughter, have you, Emmett?"

  Emmett grew flustered. "We're very good friends, sir," he said.

  Dad laughed loudly, making Emmett flicker.

  "Yes, you certainly seem to be!" Dad said and winked at me.

  I hid my face in my hands. My father could be so cheesy sometimes! I was pretty embarrassed, but this threw Emmett off completely. He colored pink and his hands moved around nervously on their own, searching for something to fiddle with. Finally, he pulled a large bident out of his sleeve and spun it idly.

  "Hey! Where did you get that?" I asked. "I thought you left all your kriot in the Underwood!"

  Emmett just smiled, twirling his bident.