"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 shifted 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, wishing 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 shiver. "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 shifted 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."

Evelina's cheeks flamed. She blurted the first thing that popped into her head. "I didn't know you were here."

"I am not here," Sludge gritted. "Except to watch over you novices." Her lips curled in a look of distaste. "This is the Glaring. Witches don't interfere."

"Sorry."

"Get this mess cleaned up," Sludge hissed. "Now!"

Evelina cringed as she watched Sludge storm away, serpentine curls twisting in the wind.

"Here they come!" Tally pointed at the next round of novices thrashing over the breakers to make it to sh.o.r.e. "We've got to do something."

Evelina swung round, searching the dunes-the grove of palms-left, right, looking for something-anything, to hold up the surfboard.

Ah ha!

A chunk of driftwood, the size of a small stump.

The problem was, how could they get it here?

There wasn't enough time.

The warlocks splashed out of the surf with their squids toward the recording station.

The problem was, they'd just destroyed it.

Evelina's palms oozed sweat.

They were in big poo poo if they screwed up this compet.i.tion.

She raised her finger, tracing the outline of the stump, as though sketching it on a page.

And with a flick of her finger.

Poof!

It was under one busted half of the surfboard.

Abby's mouth dropped wide.

Tally gave a squeal of surprise.

Abby came to life, racing to dip the bucket into the tank.

The bucket landed on the surfboard full of water as the first warlock skidded across the sand to the station.

Four squids were squeezed, followed by four more.

Oceana unscrambled their spell first shouting, "Petrified papaya puddles, effluo scintillo!"

A three tiered fountain appeared, gurgling and bubbling papaya juice in an endless supply.

Gasps followed.

The crowd hooted and whistled.

No doubt everyone was getting sick of coconut juice and water. Evelina joined in the applause. She certainly was. A fountain like that would look nice in their tree fort right about now.

"Maybe we should give that spell a try," Abby said out of the side of her mouth, clapping loudly.

"Effluo Scintillo is cla.s.sic-right out of the spell book." Tally stuck her head between them, along with her two cents. "The rest is specific-a one time deal-an enchantment that lasts as long as the creator of the spell wishes-in this case one of the councilors, whoever is in charge of rewards."

"How could you possibly know that?" Abby wore a look of amazed horror. "We barely had a chance to leaf through the spell book at the Flurry."

"I have an exceptional memory," Tally said matter-of-factly. "I remember it distinctly, because I was hoping to tap into it to increase my productivity. You know, flow and shine. That's what it means-Effluo Scintillo."

"You're a freak." Abby whacked her on the back. "But we love ya'."

They trudged back to the tree fort and collapsed in a heap.

Sunday was spent with their mentors in an informal question and answer session, as Evelina hoped, though she found it difficult to concentrate, thinking of tomorrow and her upcoming meeting with Frankie. There were so many things she wanted to say, but so many things she knew she couldn't.

For now, she'd have to be content with grilling her mentors and whatever she could squeeze out of Grammy Crimm during her monthly Cosmic Call.

After a cold supper of fruit and coconut meat, Evelina took the swing elevator down, then trod to the beach.

The moon glowed like a bright spotlight on the white sand. The palms rustled in the evening breeze. Wings flapped in the distance, followed by a low growl, mingling with other night sounds.

Evelina reached for the silver chain around her neck. She rubbed the black pearl, whispering, "Where are you, Grammy Crimm?"

Poof!

Her wish came true.

Grammy Crimm appeared decked out in a flowered blue housedress. "h.e.l.lo, my love!" Her sunny smile lit up the night beneath the swirling white waves on her head. "You're at the Glaring. What excitement!"

The joy in her voice rippled over Evelina like a laughing brook, filling her heart to the brim. There was no one like Grammy Crimm. The sparkle twinkling in her eyes lit up Evelina, spreading love over every corner of her flesh.

"I did so enjoy the Glarings," Grammy Crimm said.

"Today was certainly interesting," Evelina agreed. "Oceana won. But I suppose you know that?"

"Yes." Grammy Crimm's blue eyes glittered. "The Council watches these things very carefully."

"Then you know about Melvin Ruggles."