Chapter 196 - A Small, But Important Detail

In the end, the entire business wasn't as simple as going and shooting a show. The arrangements had to be made, though Prom Queen promised it won't take more than a couple of days. This was, after all, an exclusive to beat all exclusives. Journalists loved that.

In meanwhile, instead of proceeding with our usual lessons with Ghost later that day, I asked him another thing, hoping that in the wealth of knowledge he accumulated in the course of his long life there'd be what I needed.

"Combat magic? Ah, that makes sense. Times like these, you'd want to know how to defend yourself. Healing is good, but you can't just let people harm you either," Ghost replied to my request with a sage nod. "I should've thought to teach you something defensive earlier."

I beamed. "Great! I wasn't sure you do, since you are a healer first, after all."

"Of course I do! The world is a dangerous place… if one wants to live forever, one has to learn how to fight unnatural causes of death along with the natural ones. When I was younger, it was much worse than now, I tell you. Well," he amended, "if we aren't taking right now, maybe. But before the demon appeared, it was all very blissful, and in my youth, it was bloodshed and chaos all around, all around."

"Yeah, the things are bound to get hot soon… Especially for me…" I muttered under my breath and added louder, "And how fast do you think I can learn something to protect myself?"

To that, Ghost shrugged with his most clueless expression. "We won't see until we try! Oh, I remember you were already asking about combat magic before, weren't you, Diana? It was… what, just recently? I still remember." He beamed with pride. "Let's see how much of the basics you know."

Half an hour of testing showed that I certainly didn't know enough to fend off a vampire all by myself, which was my top goal. I had enough for a normal thug, which was more than nothing, if I were trying to be optimistic.

"You have a decent casting time, Diana, but vampires can't be stopped by instant spells alone. Not if, at least, they already attack you. This isn't even about how fast you are. But you have a good feeling of your well, so you'd be able to prepare a spell while you distract your opponent by other means."

"Like talking, right?"

"For example, yes! But you can learn how to talk without me. I mean, you already know how, so you don't even need to!" Ghost laughed. "Instead, let's see if I can teach you some spells you could pre-made by yourself, too. The hardest part with all of them is making them last and stick. Of course, you never should bing them to your body—use an amulet…"

There was more to learn that I could cram in a single lesson, or even several. The sticky spells were all a dozen times more complex than any instant one. To make one was to fundamentally and unnaturally change a structure of an item.

By the end of the day, Ghost made one such spell for me, enchanting a ten rubles coin with it. It was, by his words, a simple one—he made it before my very eyes as an example. A magic shield that slowed down fast-moving objects near the amulet by turning excess kinetic energy into thermal.

"Don't keep it close to your skin," he warned. "If it melts, it melts. Oh, and I guess, careful with cars when you wear it? And other machinery. And birds, and insects. It doesn't exactly have a filter, either… But I will make you something better by tomorrow!"

"Insects? Would it slow down their wings?" I wondered about the possibilities. "Would they just drop if they got close to me?"

"Yes. Well, I guess that's not a problem, but a boon! They don't have enough kinetic energy in them to break the amulet, anyway."

"Thanks a lot, Ghost. You might be saving my life here." I smiled, putting the coin into my purse where it could get lost, but at least it won't melt all over me.

Now, if—more like when—anyone attacked me again, they'd have an additional layer to pass through to get to my skin. The idea of someone just suddenly attacking… it was a scary one, but I found myself be able to accept it like a norm with a surprising ease.

I had pastries for breakfast, my shop was doing better than it could've been, and people might attack me for no good reason. What did it told about me that I not only expected attacks on my life, I prepared for them?

"That tells that you are at least still care somewhat for your safety," Rita said when I asked her this question. While Panda's opinion about my decision went along with what I expected, a conversation with Rita turned out to be much different. "Which is good! This is a sort of thing that should be worried about together, and since I'm worried, then you should be as well. But hey, you are going to be on TV, girlfriend! Did you already told your grandparents?"

"Oh right," I dropped my hand on my elbows, realising that in all the fears of global discord, and my possible trauma and death, I forgot the TV show will be seen by almost everyone, and everyone else will hear about it through those who had watched it. "I didn't think about it. I have to warn them. Oh god… I told them I and JJ were dating, too. It's been, ugh, feels like an eternity ago."

"Now, now," Rita patted me on my shoulder. "You are their only, their dearest granddaughter. Even if you are a witch, they'd support you, I know."

"Say, alright. But what about JJ?"

"Well." She cringed a little. "This would be more complicated. Though, you know what? I can't think of someone who can smooth things better than JJ himself. This man…" She sighed dreamily. "I don't see anyone with eyes or ears who can dislike him."