IIIIIIII Scarlet IIIIIIII
I shove past a group of girls. The book's almost to the entrance of Alfea. This can't be happening. I lengthen my stride, gain momentum, and in one final moment, leap in the air. My arm extends, and my fingers graze the spine of it-
And then I go crashing into a red headed fairy.
We hit the ground hard, and our limbs get tangled together. A groan escapes my lips as I struggle to stand. That hurt more than I'd like to admit.
"Oh, are you alright?" Bloom asks. Even though I'm the one that ran into her.
I glance around, looking for the book. "Sorry, can't talk, I"m-"
My eyes dart back up. The doors are closed, and the book just keeps nudging the door. I breathe out a sigh of relief. That was close.
"Sorry," I say to Bloom. "My book got away from me."
I help her up, and she follows my gaze. "That's odd," she replies. "Someone enchanted your book. Does that happen often?"
Her voice is innocent, and it surprises me. "More than you'd think, but it's not so bad," I say. It's true, of course. Ever since rumors started about me, fairies keep messing with my stuff. I shrug and add, "I'd rather have fairies messing with me than witches though."
"I totally get that," Bloom says. She laughs, and my eyes widen.
I forgot that there were rumors about Bloom too. Witches have been after her ever since she was discovered on some magic-less planet, and it's been non-stop harassment. How can I have been so stupid to say something like that? "Ah, my bad," I say. "I forgot you deal with that all the time."
Bloom smiles. "No worries, it's helped me get stronger, at least." She shakes her head and adds, "But being bullied at all isn't fun. I'm sure it's even worse when it's your own student body."
I look away, and a knot forms in my chest. "It's made me stronger too, in a way. At least I hope it has."
She points at my book and says, "Well, you better go grab that before it gets away again."
"Thanks."
I turn back to the entrance as she walks away. The book just keeps nudging the door, trying to get out. Maybe I misjudged Bloom and her friends. She really doesn't seem so bad after all.
I reach out-
Then the door is pulled open by Professor Palladium, and too late, the book's out onto the grounds of Alfea.
"No!" I yell.
The professor frowns, but I push past him without a glance back. The leather bound book is gaining speed. Turning into a fairy would take too much time. Could I counteract it with a spell? Surely I can do something. I shouldn't have wasted time talking to Bloom.
I summon my magic and use a location spell; the same one I used to get this book months ago. The book shutters midair, as if it's being pulled both ways. Of course it is!
I pour more of my magic into it, reciting the spell again. The book darts back and forth, and students stop to stare. I don't care though. This book has my history, and I can't let anyone read it. It was the only piece of myself left at Cloud Tower I couldn't get rid of, so I've been keeping it in my bag for weeks, hoping it would give me more information of the prophecy.
And now someone else wants the information. It has to be that witch I encountered last night. It doesn't make sense how she managed to break my illusion, but she's the only one I could think of who could be responsible.
The book moves farther down the lawn, and I curse under my breath. Sweat starts to bead my forehead as I push myself farther. I'm so focused I don't realize another spark of magic flash in the air.
And the book falls straight into Miss Faragonda's hands.
IIIIIIII Ember IIIIIIII
Someone interrupted her spell. Interesting.
Ember glances at the few books in front of her. They are all useless to her, she realizes. If the spell has broken, then there's one book that never made it to her manicured hands.
Ember realizes that Scarlet doesn't want to be found. She'll be on her guard now, so it'll be even more difficult to get to her. Ember's only options are to scout the City of Magix, hoping to find her, or step onto the grounds of Alfea and find her herself.
She smiles and turns, leaving the books discarded on a table. It's progress, no matter how small it is.
"You know that you're a disgrace to witches, right?"
Ember stops as someone blocks her path. The pale-haired witch looks as evil as ever, and her cold eyes pierce through Ember's coral green ones.
"Oh, what do you mean?" Ember fakes innocence.
Icy crosses her arms. "Oh, what do you mean?" she mocks. "Please," Icy laughs, "don't play dumb. You used to be the best of us, Ember. And somewhere along the way you gave up. Now you'd rather have your fingers manicured than summon a dark spirit. You're pathetic."
Icy spits those last words out, but it doesn't faze her. "There are different ways to be evil, Icy." Ember brushes her hair behind her ear and smiles. Her pink earrings shine under the candlelight as she adds, "Surely someone of your intelligence knows that." She tilts her head and assesses the witch in front of her. "Or perhaps you are not as intelligent as you claim to be?"
Icy lunges forward, and the two of them are nose to nose. "I will freeze you solid where you stand!"
Ember doesn't bat an eyelash. Witches have a bad habit of their pride getting in the way, and that had been Icy's weakness since Ember could remember. Interesting though that she smells like peppermint.
Ember leans ever so closer. Her voice is deadly quiet as she whispers, "That's the funny thing though, isn't it? You can't freeze me, can you? I remind you too much of her."
A growl escapes Icy's lips, and the room suddenly drops in temperature. "How. Dare. You."
"Ladies!"
Ember glances to the side, where Griffin stands with hands on hips. Her eyes are fierce and disapproving, and there's an electric charge in the air.
Icy takes a step back, and the ice slowly dissolves. Other witches are watching behind bookshelves, and their breath is visible in the chilly air. It's silent for several moments.
Icy's gaze focuses on Ember as she finally says, "This isn't over."
Ember struts by Icy and smiles. "I'd be disappointed if it were."
