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I make a sound low in my throat in astonishment.What the hell is going on?I share a glance with Corin and find the same confusion I’m experiencing mirrored in his expression. Unicorn takes a few steps forward, watching the scene intently, too.
The roots drag her lifeless body until her back is pressed flat against the trunk in an upright position. As soon as she’s positioned there it’s as though the branches half melt into the trunk and Ghost Girl’s body is encased in a green tinted glass casket. I suck in a breath when another pulse of strong magic rolls from her body, into the tree, whooshing into the ground. It’s powering the academy—no, correction—Ghost Girlis powering the academy. “Holy shit,” I breathe.
Glowing flowers sprout around Ghost Girl’s body and thin leaves and vines adorn her limbs. Then the most disconcerting thing happens, her eyes open—no longer red in colour, but milky blue—and she turns her head to stare blankly at Steven.
Corin makes a sound low in his throat and shuffles his feet. The faintest waft of fear hits me from behind, and a shiver rolls over me, but unlike before it’s because of the feeling ofwrongnessCorin’s fear sent through me. My brows furrow as my hand shoots out before I can consciously stop it and I turn sideways to grip Corin by the shirt and drag him closer. He’s so taken off guard by my actions that he falls into me, his chest pressing against my left shoulder and back, his heat enveloping me. All rational thought goes out the window as his bonfire scent wraps around me. I suck in greedy lungfuls and lean into him slightly. My tongue darts out to wet my lower lip and I’m about to do something colosally stupid like nibble the firm shirt covered pec when a voice I recognise rings through the room.
“Well that was intense. I don’t think I’ve had anything this interesting happen other than this—and you being able to see me—in the last hundred years.”
My eyebrows shoot up as my head whips around and my eyes land on Ghost Girl, who is standing in front of her body, stroking her chin while studying it intensely. Mumbling random things, “Hmm, that Steven though, I didn’t need to see that asshole again. It’s still hard to believe he was smart enough to pull this off, but I suppose he’s off doinggreaterthings now.” She frames the word greater with finger quotation marks and a heavy dose of sarcasm.
I shift to my knees and look over my shoulder into Corin’s dark green eyes, searching them while I try to decipher whether he can hear or see her, or not. His eyes are wide, expression confused as his attention flicks between me and Ghost Girl who is still prattling on to herself. A wide, uncontrollable grin stretches my lips.He can see her as well, thank the Goddess. Unicorn cocks her head and slowly approaches her, chirping happily when she reaches her feet. Greeting her like an old friend.
“I don’t understand…” Corin trails off, his voice low and gruff.
I tilt my head as I consider Ghost Girl. “Yeah, I was a little startled at first, too, but you get used to it. Though I suppose I’ll have to stop calling her Ghost Girl in my head now as she clearly isn’t a ghost. Hmm. Well not completely anyway. I’m not sure what she is.”
The Mountain Man beside me jerks and his attention jumps to my face, eyes narrowed. “Wait, you’ve seen her before. I swear I recognise her from somewhere…”
I swallow, averting my eyes as my cheeks heat up under his scrutiny, barely registering his words under his hot gaze. Which is peculiar because I rarely feel put on the spot, but there is just something about Corin’s deep voice growling at me with an undertone of implied command that makes my cheeks and *cough* *cough* other places heat up. It has serious “tell me now or I’ll put you over my knee and spank you” vibes. My thighs clench and I fight down a groan. Goddess, those are not images I need going through my head right now.Focus woman!
Clearing my throat, I gnaw on my bottom lip and focus on what he said. After running through my recent memories I remember where he’s seen her before, but it had totally slipped my mind after everything that happened. It also reminds me of Corin’s other form. The one none of us have brought up or questioned him about, despite my burning curiosity. Curiosity killed the cat, or my dads used to say something along those lines.
“Nessa.”
I groan. “Yes, I’ve seen her a few times and we’ve spoken. I think you recognise her because she helped us find the secret entryway to the room Lexi was being held in.” I don’t make eye contact, instead shifting my focus back to the girl in question, well woman. Ghost woman just doesn’t have the same ring as Ghost Girl. I huff out a breath as Corin quietly processes my response and call out. “Hey, Ghost Gi—I mean, Aurora…” I trail off, unsure what exactly to ask. I mean the few times I’ve spoken to her, she’s either been really weak and unable to speak to me for long or not focused on me.
She turns, her features lighting up when those red eyes land on me. They seem to have returned to their normal colour now that she’s back in semi-ghost form. “Nessa.” She dips her head in greeting, a resigned smile playing on her lips. Her eyes drop to Unicorn and her smile widens slightly. “Unicorn.”
“I suppose you saw all of that, huh?” she says softly.
I dip my head in affirmation and she huffs out a sigh.
“After you were able to see me, then when I kept getting pulled to help you, I had a feeling that our paths were intertwined, but I hoped that it was just a coincidence.”
My brows furrow as I stare at her intently.Well what the hell is that supposed to mean?I feel Corin shift closer to my side and stiffen at the implication that I’m somehow tangled up with what we just saw happen. I’m not exactly comforted by it, somehow being connected to a murder that took place over a century ago. My lips twist ruefully. Though with my luck something like thiswouldhappen to me.
“What do you mean?” Corin asks.
She swallows hard, an unsure expression pinching her elf-like features and she sucks in a breath as though she’s about to speak, but before she can, her form wavers then she vanishes. I swear she rolls her eyes to the sky in irritation before she’s gone, frustration at disappearing before I can get any information,again.
I growl under my breath. “Well that was very helpful and not at all confusing.” Sarcasm is a girl’s best friend. Honestly I should make a T-shirt with that saying, hmm, yep that’s a great idea. I wonder how I’d go about doing that…
I’m drawn out of my random thoughts when Corin tosses his hands up in exasperation. “Would it kill the Goddess to make something simple. I not only have no answers, I now have more questions.” Unicorn flutters onto his shoulder, still watching the spot where Ghost Girl vanished from and lets out a low chirp before lying down. My eyebrows draw together at her strange behaviour but I add it into my ever-growing pile of oddities and leave it for now.
Corin continues to mutter under his breath as he stalks over to Aurora’s resting place, staring at it as though it will give him all the answers. I hesitantly move to his side. “Is that why you brought me here today? You found this place? Found her and wanted to know if I knew something?”
Puffing out a harsh breath, Corin peers at me from the corner of his eye. “Something like that.”
I nod. “Well, I think it’s safe to say I know nothing about this.” Well, mostly nothing. Not for long though. It has definitely been pushed to one of the first things I’m going to research after today. It seems whatever is going on with Ghost Girl could be connected to the other odd things that are going on at the Academy.
Corin makes a frustrated sound, low in his throat that goes right to my core and I stop myself from pressing my thighs together.What the hell is wrong with me today?I clear my throat. “I’m feeling better, if a little tired, so what I think we should do is go back to the edge of the forest and practise connecting with the magic we need for our runes presentation. Then revisit this and all the strangeness, later. Hmm? What do you say?” I ask, my tone low and reassuring.
Rolling his shoulders before sucking in a long breath of air, Corin straightens, being careful with Unicorn on his shoulder, giving me a nod before heading for the doorway and we move down the steps at a more sedate pace than when we ascended them.
Chapter Thirteen
Corin
