“Oh, whatever. I got out once. I can get out again.”
“Yeah, because of Fletcher.” I stood, asserting my authority with clenched fists. “I don’t think he’d be willing to put his neck out on the line for you again!”
“Meh, I’m not worried.” She shrugged. “I do this stuff all the time and I’ve only been caught once?” A laugh barreled out of her mouth. “I call that a win.”
My eyes widened to saucers at the gall of this girl.
“Oh, come on! I want to just peek at the downtown. I’ve never been to Ellion City. I want to see it so badly!” She clenched my hand. “Let’s go, Etta!”
Her magic swirled down her arms, and I jerked my hand away, breaking free. “My name is Ripley!”
Her swirls halted as she tilted her head. “What?”
“I’m not Etta. I lied to hide my identity. I am Princess Ripley.”
Her hands flattened over her heart as she bowed her head.
I released her and placed my hands on my hips. “And I order you to stay here.”
She looked up from below her brows, smiled, then let her magic race forward. Then, she was gone.
CHAPTER
TEN
No, no, no! My eyes searched the empty space where Topine had been. With my magic, I doubted I could teleport to her accurately even if I knew where she was in Ellion City. I’d have to run there and search every area of downtown to be able to track her location. Spikes of fear prickled at my skin. “Shit, shit, shit.”
What’s going on?Fletcher’s voice filled my head.
She left!My hands didn’t light up.
Ripley. Answer me.
A frustrated growl tore through my throat.She left!I tried again. I screwed my eyes shut, balled my fists, and forced out,She left! She left! She left!
It’s okay. I will get her once this meeting is over.
No, it’ll be too late!
For fuck’s sake, do not leave.
I sprinted down the stairs and raced to the front door, halting when his voice filled my head again.
Promise me.
I huffed and touched the door knob.I can’t.I yanked the door open and ran outside where the garden by Aldris’s front door was damp and the street was dark from morning dew.
Dammit, Ripley.I hit the corner of the street when I heard an echo of his voice softly say,Stay safe.
I sprinted all the way to the downtown, Fletcher’s loose t-shirt waving behind me. It was late morning and most of the shops were open. There weren’t as many people as there would be during the night, but there were a handful of people walking around and eating breakfast. I wondered if there were any Cidris in my presence now.
I stopped to catch my breath and scanned for her white-blonde hair. Nothing.
I rushed to the left, swinging open the first shop with a curved roof that resembled the brim of a floppy hat. And when she wasn’t in there, I exited and did the same with the next. I would go into every single one if I had to. As I left the fourth store, I heard someone calling me.
“Etta?” a woman trotted toward me from my left.
I recognized her immediately. She had been one of my customers when I used to teach yoga here in the mornings.
