Glinda pressed further into the corner, shadowing herself from view. She held her breath as footsteps approached the door, then, oh so slowly, faded. The light in the hall blew out, the front door slammed and clicked shut, and she was alone.

She reached up to the lantern on the wall above her and, with a flurry of fingers, lit it. Now that she had enough light again, she went back to the table near the back of the room and continued flipping through the latest sorcery book she had borrowed from the library.

Staying in the sorcery building after hours was becoming a habit—this was her third time just this week. It wasn't required for her final project, but the healing spells she taught herself were some of the best magic she had performed all semester.

It wasn't easy, of course. For one thing, she only had so many resources to work with. The dummies in the classroom could get her only so far, and though she hoped she never had to mend someone's bones or heal a ruptured organ, it would be nice to know that she was able to.

The spells were complex, too, and life sciences played such a heavy role that if it weren't for the page of notes Boq had helped her create, every other enchantment would soar far over her head. As it was, she often had to reread a spell's description over and over again until she finally pieced together all the details she needed to make sure it would work. It was hard, complicated, often frustrating work but at the end of it all, when she memorized the words she needed and poured her energy into the magic and looked up to see what she had accomplished, she was proud of herself. Here she was, teaching herself entirely new spells, furthering her sorcery without Morrible's control.

She didn't always get it right, though. There were days when her magic just wouldn't be summoned or, even worse, she would lose control and hurt herself. Glinda winced, rubbing the bruise on her hip from just two days ago, when she'd knocked herself back and fallen against one of the desks. Those were the days when she got stuck in her own head, reliving someone's latest taunts or dwelling too much on…well, everything.

Glinda pressed her lips together and stared down at the sorcery book. She had been struggling with this particular spell all week. It was for burns, severe ones, and it dealt with not only repairing the skin, but re-growing it. Glinda's stomach twisted a little. The spell freaked her out, if she was being completely honest, mostly because the thought of being burned that bad was horrifying. Of course, thinking of severe burns made her think of Elphaba, and then she would shudder at the thought of something so painful happening to her.

Finals were getting closer and closer, and soon she would have to stop spending all her time on healing magic. This spell was supposed to be the last she would learn, but though she had everything about it memorized, she could never quite pull it off. Glinda sank into the nearest chair and pressed her fingers to her temples. She was, as usual, tired, and she thought about packing up and calling it a night, but getting up suddenly seemed like far too much work.

The weekend was almost here, and she was looking forward to spending most of it in the library with Boq. Over the past week, rumors about Munchkinland had been flying through campus. There was no talk of the secession, not yet, but everyone was whispering about the new Eminent Thropp. Nikidik had given an impromptu lecture on Munchkinland politics and current events, and every word he spoke seemed to be directed straight at Glinda. She had kept her eyes down on her notes, copying what he wrote on the chalkboard with firm, deliberate strokes until her pen tore through the paper and the pages of her textbook started to flutter next to her.

Boq hadn't been spared from the gossip, either. He never talked about it much, but Glinda had walked into their literature class one day to find him surrounded by Pfannee, Milla, and Shenshen. He sat at his table, eyes locked on the book he was reading.

Glinda had strolled forward and put a hand on Shenshen's shoulder, pulling lightly to move her out of the way. "Excuse me, ladies, but I'd like to take my seat."

Shenshen looked shocked, and she stumbled back a little to stand behind Milla. Glinda sat in the chair beside Boq, pulling out her notes and deliberately ignoring the looks they were giving her until they gave up and retreated.

"Thanks," Boq had mumbled, but Glinda just touched his arm and kept her head down as the professor walked in.

They never discussed what happened, but that evening in the library Boq was distracted. He had pulled his books from his bag without opening them, then shifted in his seat to stare out the window. Glinda let him sit quietly, glancing up occasionally to check on him, until she noticed the tears gathering in his eyes. She quickly packed up their things and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, leading him out of the library. They still didn't talk, but she bought him a cup of tea and they leaned against each other on a little stone bench until he was calm again.

Glinda reached forward and flipped her sorcery book shut. This would probably be her last night in the sorcery building. She had too much real work to do this weekend, including the actual work for this project, and starting next week she would be preparing for her final exams. Besides, every night she snuck in and out of here was a risk. If Morrible caught her…

She slid the book into her bag and began packing up the rest of her things. It was automatic, now, the lap through the room to make sure everything was in its place, the wave of her hand to put out the light, the quick spell under her breath to lock the doors behind her. The next thing she knew she was back in Crage Hall, toeing off her shoes, curling up in Elphaba's bed, thinking about how there was just one more day of classes, and then she would be free for the weekend. And then, after a couple more weeks of the semester, she would be free for much longer, away from Morrible, away from sorcery, just spending time with Boq and the others, for however long it lasted.

Glinda sighed and felt herself relax further into the bed. She thought she felt a hand at her cheek, caressing briefly, soothingly. "Good night, Elphie," she mumbled, already half gone, and she was out before she could imagine a response.

Elphaba wasn't sleeping. She felt helpless and out of place. It was hard to believe that, not too long ago, she had been at Shiz, with Glinda. It felt like a dream.

She missed it, and, to her surprise, she missed the Emerald City. She missed the creaking walls of the corn exchange, the pile of hay and scratchy blanket that she called a bed. She missed Peric, a lot. She missed his confidence, his amusing cockiness, his quiet, steady compassion. Something had started to pull on her, calling her back to the Emerald City, and she knew she would have to leave soon.

A day came when Nessarose made plans to eat an early dinner with her, and Elphaba spent most of the afternoon pacing her bedroom, trying to decide when and what she should tell her sister. When early evening came and she met Nessa at their usual spot on the back porch, her bag, hat, and broom were tucked neatly in an unused servants' entrance—the same one that her grandfather had helped her sneak through just a few months ago. She didn't know when she would leave, but she wanted to be ready, just in case.

Elphaba and Nessa ate dinner quietly, avoiding each other's eyes. They had barely spoken to each other since that night in the library, and all the arguments of the last week or so stretched out between them. Elphaba had a strange sense of anticipation as the silence dragged on. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she was sick of waiting, so she cleared her throat and, before she could stop herself, said, "I'm leaving."

Nessarose's reaction was calm. She set her fork down and leaned over to place her plate on the floor beside her. Her fingers smoothed across the skirt of her dress. "When?" she asked, watching her hands.

"I don't know," Elphaba admitted. "Soon. I can't stay here."

"Why not?"

"I'm no use here." Elphaba bit the inside of her cheek. It was as good an answer as any, she supposed, but she still didn't like admitting it.

Nessa huffed and scowled down at her fingers, now twisted together in her lap. "You're no use here because you choose not to be."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elphaba asked, matching Nessa's sharp tone.

"It means that you don't support the secession, so you are unwilling to help."

"How am I supposed to help?" she asked. "What can I do when no one can even know I'm here?"

"Something," Nessa hissed. "In all your brilliance, you could think of something to do."

Elphaba forced herself to take a breath before answering. "I have thought of something to do," she said slowly, "And I'm doing it, I have been. That's why I need to go, I need to get back to—"

"To the Emerald City?" Nessa scoffed. "Where you can fly around terrorizing people and freeing Animals?"

"We're fighting the Wizard," Elphaba growled.

"We?" Nessa raised an eyebrow. "Who is we?"

Elphaba stayed silent.

Nessarose sighed. "It doesn't matter," she said. "My point is, you might be fighting for a better Oz, but your loyalties are misplaced."

"Oh? And where should I put them instead?" Elphaba asked, though she was sure she knew what the answer would be.

"Here," Nessa said firmly. "In Munchkinland, where you can help protect your home."

"Munchkinland isn't my only home," said Elphaba. "Don't you see, Nessa? Oz is our home. Separating it won't fix it."

"Secession is our only choice. Why must you continue to argue with me?"

"Because I don't agree with you. We—"

Nessarose raised her hand, cutting Elphaba off. "You don't have to agree with me, but you don't get to defy me, either."

Elphaba's eyes narrowed. "What are you—"

"I am the Eminent Thropp. I rule these grounds and this nation, and when I say secession will happen, it will happen."

"Nessa—"

"We might be sisters, Elphaba, but continuing to challenge me and my authority is an act of treason against Munchkinland." Nessarose's voice dropped. "I've concealed you from the Wizard since you arrived. It would be just as easy to turn you over to him."

Elphaba jumped to her feet, glaring, but Nessa's gaze was hard and unaffected.

"You're the Eminent," Elphaba said quietly, "I respect that. But you don't have control over me."

"The Eminent—"

"I'm aware of the law," Elphaba snapped. She turned sharply on her heel, beginning to pace on instinct. "I'm telling you now, it doesn't matter. You don't control me."

"Then you are a traitor to Munchkinland." Nessa's voice was cold.

"I'm fighting for the same things you are," Elphaba said, spinning around to face her. "If you want to brand me as a traitor, then go ahead. Just don't complain when I can't help you anymore."

"Help me?" Nessa asked scathingly. "You help yourself, or your friends in the Emerald City, or random Animals that you've never met, but you don't help me."

Elphaba blinked, hardly believing her own ears. It was so ridiculous, so completely absurd, that for a split second she thought she was going to laugh out loud.

Instead, she shook her head and turned away. Here it was—the proof that she was useless here. If Nessa was so blind, so stubbornly set on not trusting her, then what could Elphaba possibly do? She tightened her cloak around herself and started out of the room, but she paused, lingering in the doorway.

"You never did realize," she said softly. "All my life, I've done everything I possibly can for you."

Nessa stiffened, her eyes widening. "Elphaba, wait," she said, her voice wavering now. She turned her chair, her eyes pleading. "Don't—you have to—Fabala, please—"

"It was never enough." Elphaba tore her gaze away and left the room. "It will never be enough."

Elphaba flew through the night. Her anger seemed to burn into the broom, urging it faster through the freezing air. It took hours to get from Colwen Grounds to the Emerald City, yet she never stopped—it didn't even seem like an option.

By the time the city came into view, her entire body was numb. Her hands felt frozen to the broom handle and her legs were cramped in their curled up position. She leaned into a dive just inside the wall and skidded to a halt, rolling off the broom and across the ground. For a while she just stayed there, the cold air scraping in and out of her lungs, her body shivering and aching and begging her to just fall asleep right there in whatever alleyway she had crashed into.

"Fae." Something tugged at her hair, pulling her away from unconsciousness. "Fae, get up. You can't stay here."

She swatted halfheartedly, and Peric nipped at her fingers, making her mumble a curse at him. "I'm serious, Fae. Get up, or I'll carry you back myself."

Groaning quietly, Elphaba rolled onto her hands and knees. "Why in Oz are you here?" she asked, her words slurring a little. Peric clicked his beak and nudged her side, pushing against her until she forced herself to her feet.

"I've been watching the skies all week. Now come on. Let's get you inside."

Elphaba let him steer her through the city until the streets became familiar and she could find her own way. They were silent as they made their way to the corn exchange. Elphaba's throat felt thick and her tongue was heavy in her mouth, and she wasn't sure she could talk anyway. Peric scanned the street as she pushed through the front door, then hopped in behind her. Elphaba closed it and fell back against it, resisting the urge to just slump to the floor right there.

Peric eyed her as she wavered. "You look terrible."

"Good. I feel worse." Elphaba pushed off from the door and went over to her bed, trying not to drag her feet. She tossed her broom to the side and pulled off her hat, letting it fall to the floor. "It's a long flight from Colwen Grounds."

"You didn't stop?" he asked. Elphaba shrugged. "Hell and Oz, Fae."

"What's been happening here?" Elphaba asked, easing herself down to her makeshift bed. "What have I missed?"

"A lot of confusion," Peric grumbled. He hopped over and perched on her knee, gently digging in with his talons when her eyes fluttered shut. "You with me?"

Elphaba waved her hand. "Definitely. I'm good. What's going on? What do you already know?"

"We know about the secession," said Peric. "The news hasn't quite reached the rest of the city, but we know, and we're certain the Wizard does, too."

"Nessa—" Elphaba swallowed and cleared her throat, "—the Eminent Thropp has shut down Colwen Grounds until further notice. While she's working with Munchkinland's governors, no other visitors are allowed."

"She's keeping the Wizard out until the last possible moment."

Elphaba nodded. "She's trying to keep the separation peaceful. I just don't see how that's possible."

Peric lowered his head and shifted his wings. "Everyone's been discussing that."

"What are they saying?"

"We're all worried, of course," said Peric. "But the consensus seems to be that Munchkinland itself isn't our problem. Or, at least, there's nothing we can do about it."

"So what is our problem?" Elphaba asked.

"The same as always," said Peric. "We help Animals and the rest of the city's lower class. We fight the Wizard and the people who support him. The only difference is, now, we'll be keeping a special eye out for the city's Munchkinlanders. We can help get people out of the city safely, if they need it."

"It's not enough," Elphaba sighed, pressing her palms to her eyes. "They have lives here. Jobs, homes, families. Even if we can help people escape, they'll still be forced to leave everything behind."

"What else can we do?" Peric asked.

Elphaba just shook her head. "I don't know." Her voice cracked with exhaustion. Peric hopped off her knee and tilted his head at her.

"Get some rest," he said quietly. "Malky will be here in the morning. We can talk more then."

"There's something else, isn't there?" she whispered. Peric raised a foot and scratched gently at the ground. "Peric, what aren't you telling me?"

"In the morning," he said firmly. "Sleep."

Elphaba tried to protest, but the arm holding her up was shaking and her eyes were too heavy to keep open. Peric grabbed her bag and eased it over her head and off her shoulder.

"I don't need you to tuck me in," she grumbled. Peric just chuckled and hopped back.

"I'm glad you're back, Fae. This city is boring without you."

Elphaba responded, but the words jumbled together and never completely left her mouth. Peric grinned, clicking his beak softly, and flew off to his nest in the corner. "Good night, Fae."

Light was peeking through the boarded up windows of the corn exchange when Elphaba woke up. Her face felt heavy and her body was numb, but one tiny beam of sunlight was directly on her eyes, so she yanked the blanket up over her face and curled to the side.

"Is she awake?" she heard Malky ask.

"I'm not sure. Fae?"

Elphaba groaned in response, pulling the blanket tighter over her head.

"Yeah, she's awake," said Peric.

"Am not."

"We have food," Peric said brightly. "And news, so get over here."

Reluctantly, she kicked off her blanket and rolled to her knees. "What time is it?" she mumbled.

"Late afternoon," Malky said. "Here, I brought this from the underground. The rice should still be warm."

Elphaba shuffled over to where they had spread food across the floor. Malky pushed a bowl over to her.

"What's the news?" she asked. Malky's tail flicked. Peric ducked his head and unfurled his wings. He flew up to his nest, grabbed a roll of paper, and glided back down to them, dropping the paper in Elphaba's lap.

She unrolled it, her eyes widening as she scanned the front. It was one of the Emerald City's newspapers, and bolded across the top of the page were the words, Who is the Wicked Witch of the West?

The hairs at the back of her neck stood up as she remembered what the Wizard had said to her on the roof of the bank. He had called her the wicked witch of the west. Was he behind this? Elphaba read on. Below the headline was a rough drawing of a dark figure—tall, slender, complete with the billowing cloak and thick, pointed hat.

"How long has…?"

"The first articles came out after we robbed the bank," Malky said. "There's been nothing about Peric and I, but most of the city's papers have published something about you."

"What exactly are they saying?" Elphaba skimmed over the article. There was a description of her—mostly how about her skin—and a note about how dangerous she was.

"That you have magic, that you're a threat, that you're terrorizing the city," Peric said. "They haven't said anything about you fighting the Wizard. We think they're afraid of getting you support."

"This is talking about the night at the bank," Elphaba said. She furrowed her brow and read aloud, "'The Witch's latest exploit was a violent yet ultimately failed attack on the Emerald Gold Towers. The very little she managed to escape with was personally refunded by the Wizard. Palace officials have stated that she may be working with an Animal accomplice on that night, but ultimately the Witch works for herself and on her own.'"

"Journalists," Peric said, shaking his head. "They never get it right."

Elphaba's mouth quirked up. "They make it sound like I broke into the bank by myself."

"But they also said you were mostly unsuccessful," Malky pointed out. "They're trying to discredit you."

"Well, they're not doing a great job, are they?" Elphaba said. "They write about me terrorizing the city, they give me a dangerous reputation—they even gave me an intimidating nickname, look: Wicked Witch of the West."

"You'll be more recognizable now," Malky said. "That's dangerous."

"True, but couldn't it also work to our advantage? If people are already afraid of me? And it's not hurting the rest of the Resistance, since they're set on not letting anyone know I'm working for a bigger cause."

Peric clicked his beak in amusement. "You just like all the attention, don't you?"

Elphaba grinned and shrugged. "I'm just saying, if they're giving us an advantage, we might as well use it."

"We'll have to be careful," Malky said, but his whiskers twitched and he smiled. "But maybe you're right."

"So…what do we do now?" Elphaba rolled up the paper again and set it on the floor.

Malky's head dipped. "We'll keep going as normal, but our focus will be shifting. Right now the Resistance is trying to get as much information as we can. Whatever happens with the secession, we need to be ready for it." He stood and stretched, his back arching and paws spreading out in front of him. Then he sat down again and curled his tail around his front paws. "So, for now, we eat. And while we eat, you tell me everything that's brewing in Munchkinland."

The three of them slowly got back to work. Malky was back and forth the first few days after Elphaba arrived, bringing news to and from the underground. At Peric's urging, Elphaba spent the time recovering from her travels. She slept and ate and did her best to avoid Peric's attempts to talk to her. When Malky was there, conversation flowed easily between their banter, planning, and companionable quiet, but when she and Peric were left alone, Elphaba withdrew into herself, shying away from the questions in his eyes.

"How was Shiz?" he asked, and Elphaba shrugged and pulled her book closer to her face. "How is Glinda?"

"She's okay." But that felt like a lie, so Elphaba shifted and mumbled, "I don't want to talk about it."

"How is Nessarose?"

"She's under a lot of pressure. She's as well as can be expected."

Peric clicked his beak. "Will she want you to come back?"

"Who knows?" Elphaba shrugged. "She doesn't trust me. We spent most of our time fighting."

"It's hard. You lost your grandfather."

"I barely knew him," she said dismissively.

"You respected him," Peric spoke quietly. "I know you did."

"It doesn't matter," Elphaba insisted.

"Fae—"

But Elphaba would pick up her book and wander off to a different corner of the building, completely tuning him out even if he followed her, and they would stay silent until Malky returned.

To be honest, Elphaba wasn't sure what she should be feeling. She didn't know her grandfather that well—she had only met him a year ago. But Peric was right; she had respected him, and he respected her. Nothing about her daily life had changed, yet it was a strange feeling, knowing that he no longer existed.

She refused to linger on it, though. They had work to do, and that's what she focused on. Thinking about anything else led to thinking about everything else, and that was something she just couldn't afford right now.

That's why it came as a relief when, late one evening, Malky slipped through a corner of the window and leapt gracefully down toward them.

"Please tell me you have orders for us," Elphaba said, setting her book aside.

He nodded. "It's nothing big, just a general store in one of the middle districts."

Peric's gaze met Elphaba's, and something danced in his eyes. "Finally. Let's get to work."