The Necromancer Trilogy: Prophecy

Chapter Nine - The Invisible Tala Swallow

“Yeah,” Celia shrugged. “Scholars don’t like that. Bureaucrats don’t like that. Besides, she adds insult to injury.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, there are people who have studied for years and years and have trained and trained and trained to become good. Tala is naturally brilliant, self-taught, better than most of them…and twelve.”

“Twelve!”

“Yep,” Celia grinned. “She’s interesting.”

“Yes,” Chrysanthemum frowned. “She’s annoying.”

Sophie smiled. “I like her already.”

Chrysanthemum stopped the car in a gravel car park beside a forest. Sophie looked at the rows of trees without much enthusiasm.

“Oh.”

“She’ll be in there,” Celia promised. “Bastard would know, if anyone would.”

“And how do we find a girl amazing at evading capture?” Sophie demanded.

Celia shrugged. “The way I’ve always found her. Wander about and shout a bit.”

Sophie and Chrysanthemum looked at her with identical expressions.

“Waving coloured scarves helps,” Celia offered. “Look, Tala will come to us if she wants to. Otherwise, forget it. We could never catch her.”

Sophie stared. “So…we’re going to blunder about a forest shouting for someone who might not be there, in the vague hope that they will deem us worthy of their presence?”

Celia considered this. “Yes.”

“Oh. That’s alright then. Shall we get started?”

“Tala!” Celia yelled. “Tala, please? Come on! It’s me!”

Sophie sighed, stuffing her hands into her pockets. Celia had been at this for nearly an hour. Sophie was bored and fighting to ignore the little voice inside her head, an internal alarm clock saying, “Hey, it’s biscuit time!”

“Celia, give it up,” Chrysanthemum yawned, in a remarkably lady-like manner. “She’s not coming out.”

“She will,” Celia insisted. “She has to. Tala! Tala, please!”

Sophie looked around at the trees…the muddy ground….a few bushes…some bracken….and something that didn’t quite fit. She stared at that spot, willing it to reveal its secrets.