Prologue

"Where is it now?" A lady's voice spoke.

"The girl. She has it," a man replied.

"Where is she?" the woman asked.

"No one knows. It seems she has disappeared." I stood and peered through the window. The woman stood, examining a painting on the far wall, her back to the man sitting on the sofa. The woman turned around, seeming to stare right at me. I ducked, hoping I hadn't been seen. I wanted to hear more, but it was too dangerous if the woman thought I was watching. Anyway, I had been listening long enough. My suspicions were confirmed.

Now, to find Lily. I crept away from the middle-class house, aware that any noise would give me away. I reached the edge of the woods, then took off, sprinting towards where I had seen her last. "Lily!" I called in a hushed whisper. "Lily!"

Lily poked her head out from where she was sitting behind a bush. "How'd it go?" she asked.

"Great," I replied, a touch of sarcasm in my voice. "I was almost caught by the wicked witch herself. But I did get some information."

"Well…?" she prompted, an edge to her voice.

"Well, what? It's exactly as we've been thinking. They're after the Reader. They know I have it, but they don't know where I am. Or that I'm with you."

"So, we're safe, then? We can just stay here, and they won't find us." I was shocked at her innocence.

"Yes," I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so. How will we get food, or water? And what happens when winter comes? We only have enough supplies to last a few days. And The Witch will find out we're here. We have to keep moving, moving constantly. Without anyone noticing."

"But we're safe here for a few days? When we run out of stuff to eat, we can find somewhere else to stay."

I shot her a withering glance, then turned and stalked off, taking my handbag with the Kaleidoscope with me. There was no way I was leaving that behind, with Lily. She had always been so impulsive, and she would probably break it or do something equally as bad.

"Kay—wait! Where are you going?" Lily stood and stumbled towards me.

"Forget it, Lily." I turned back to her, giving her a cold glare. "I can do this alone." Lily watched me go, anger building up inside her. As I disappeared, she overflowed. Slowly, she turned and walked back to the house I had left minutes earlier. She rang the doorbell. The man answered. "Yes?" he asked.

"I'm here to see the witch," Lily said.