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I bit my lip and tried to think, blinking a bit to test my vision. As far as I could tell, the colors were all staying in place. I had been mentally preparing the spell all day, and it seemed like the impromptu meditation was enough to cover the cost of the magic.
That was a good thing, at least.
Once I had a sort of plan, I got right to it.
“I’m going to sort of wear you,” I told the dress, hoping it wouldn’t be offended. After all, I had worn it only this morning.
It didn’t move, so I wrapped it around my shoulders, like a fraternity boy in a fifties movie.
Trying not to overthink it, I shoved one of its sleeves into the top of the replacement school gown I was wearing and wrapped it around my bra strap a couple of times, so it wouldn’t fall off.
I left the other sleeve free to point the way.
“See?” I told it. “I’m giving you a piggyback ride.”
It just kept pointing at the tree. I figured that was the best I was going to get.
The tree didn’t look too hard to climb. There were branches at intervals, and even little steps carved into the bark. From where I stood, I could see a clear path to get all the way up. But for a moment I stood there, frozen. Ever since my fall, heights and I hadn’t really been on good terms.
“Come on, Bella, this is for Jon,” I reminded myself sternly.
A moment later, my hands were wrapped around the trunk and I was gingerly beginning my ascent.
The dress kept pointing upward, so I followed its instruction.
After a few minutes of climbing, I made the mistake of looking down.
I wasn’t even terribly high up. Climbing a tree in a dress and slippers wasn’t exactly an Olympic event I would medal in.
But fear closed around my heart like an icy hand.
Suddenly, I was back in high school, Lisa Stephonowski was throwing a pebble at my window, I was climbing out, trying to lower myself to the ledge below, and instead I was slipping, and then falling, falling…
I closed my eyes, willing my heart to stop pounding.
Think of Jon. Think of what this means.
I managed to steady my heartbeat and keep climbing. Up and up I went, certain that Nina would be back before I reached my goal.
At last, the dress began gesticulating excitedly to the side, pointing at one of the branches. The branch was thick and stout where it met the tree, but two thirds of the way out, where it narrowed to the thickness of my wrist, there was a knot in the branch about the size of my fist.
The knot was sealed around the book Eve had been holding today. The book with my button in it.
The book with the healing magic that could save my brother.
“Okay, dress, I understand,” I told it. “Hang on tight.”
I pulled myself onto the branch. It bounced, but didn’t creak or groan, that was a good sign.
Slowly, slowly, I eased myself farther out.
The dress was wiggling frantically now as we drew closer to the book.
I sucked in a deep breath as we moved out a few more inches and the branch began to sag.
Someone put this book back today, I told myself.If Eve can crawl out on this branch without it ripping off the tree, so can I.
At last, my hand was on the book. I sobbed out a cry of relief.
