Then Fire Girl slowly grinned and said, "Cool!" as I scowled and said, "Not cool!"
Stepmother laughed, as she observed that our reactions were completely opposite.
"Cinderella, make sure Ariana learns how things work around here, understood?" Stepmother ordered. "And no fighting. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Stepmother," Fire Girl and I chorused.
Then Fire Girl nodded. She led me to the kitchen. "We get up at dawn, feed the animals, feed Stepmother, Drizella, and Anastasia. Then we do chores. Then we eat the scraps from their breakfast, lunch, and dinner," she finished.
I scowled and then joked, "Well, if we went into the arena and had no food, we'd have an advantage."
She elbowed me and I quickly pinned her. "Correction—I'd have an advantage," I corrected. She glared at me and I silently vowed to keep her out of my nightmare, to keep Rue's memory to myself.
Then she added, "Call me Ella."
I nodded agreeably.
