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The mysterious writing was changing right before our eyes. The strange symbols seemed to melt and flow across the parchment, rearranging themselves into letters and words that we could actually understand. The silver light grew brighter for a moment and then faded, leaving behind several lines of writing in an old-fashioned script.
"Well, there we are!" I exclaimed, leaning closer. "It seems the Moon Script has revealed itself."
"Thank goodness!" Celeste said. "Maybe now we can figure out what I was doing wrong."
She held the parchment out to me.
"Here—you read it. I don't know if I can make out all that fancy old-fashioned writing."
"Very well." I took the page from her and examined it. "It appears to be written in verse, which was a common way of recording magical instructions in the old days.”
"So, poetry," Celeste said, nodding. "What is it with witches and rhyming spells?"
“Rhyming words are easier to remember and often help to focus the caster's intention,” I told her. "And if you'll kindly listen, I'll read it to you."
She made a face at me but settled back on the bench.
"All right, go ahead."
I cleared my throat and began reading aloud.
“If a Veil Witch ye should be,
The first enchantment is not for thee.
No kiss upon the sleeper's face
Shall call his spirit to its place.”
"Ah!" I exclaimed, looking up from the parchment. "Well, there we have it! The original instructions were intended for a different sort of witch."
"Yes, I gathered that," Celeste said impatiently. "Keep going! What are we supposed to do instead?"
"Very well, there's no need to be rude," I grumbled, looking back at the parchment. Clearing my throat, I read on.
“Let he whose soul was torn away
Be giver of the kiss this way—
Not on the lips that speak above,
But nether lips, with willing love.”
I stopped reading abruptly and for a moment, I simply stared at the words, scarcely able to believe what I was seeing. Surely, I had misunderstood something! The language was rather old-fashioned, of course, but I knew perfectly well what was meant by nether lips.
And it certainly wasn't something I had ever expected to be discussing with a lady in my garden!
"What?" Celeste demanded, leaning forward. "Why did you stop? What's wrong?"
"Er…nothing," I said, feeling an unfamiliar warmth rising in my cheeks. "It's merely that the instructions have taken a rather unexpected turn."
"What kind of turn?" she asked suspiciously.
"Well…" I cleared my throat again. "It appears that the spirit must be the one to administer the kiss."
"Okay, I got that part," she said, nodding. "But what's all this about nether lips?"
I looked at her and she looked back at me. Then her green eyes widened.
