The Faerie Curses

Chapter Ten: Chasing Ghosts

I screamed, fear being ripped out of me. The hand yanked me harder, and I fell backwards through the mirror. Who had caught me? Was it a guard, or maybe Headmistress Flora herself?

I stumbled, slamming into the sleek desk in the headmistress' study. Hands gripped my wrists and pinned my arms behind my back, hard. I winced. I started to thrash against the hands, but the next thing I knew I was being pulled backwards. My back crashed against a muscular chest, and arms caged around me. I was trapped. I was doomed.

"I knew you weren't going to the bathroom." Glen's voice said into my ear.

"Dragons above, Glen, I'm going to kill you!" I shrieked.

"Funny," He mused. "That isn't the common reaction from girls being held by me."

"You're not holding me, you're trapping me!" I argued, but his arms only tightened around me.

It was all over. I was done for. Unless...I could maybe try and escape, one last time. I lifted up my leg, ready to kick him where it would really hurt. I would beat Glen up if I had to, my only chance was right now.

"I wouldn't try that if I were you." Glen told me. "If you hurt me, I'll yell for every guard in this building. They'll haul you off to Headmaster Terron in no time."

My leg fell limply next to my other one. "Why catch me, then? If you're not going to turn me in, then what are you going to do with me?"

I craned my neck to glance over at his expression. It was calm and curious.

"Where were you running off to, partner?" He asked, his green eyes traveling over to the undetectable mirror. They widened at the sight of the Colorado town flickering in the glass like a mirage. He sighed. "You've got to be kidding me. You're going after the kidnapped children, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. You heard what The Master said. He wants me to find him."

Glen snorted. "And I thought I was reckless."

"Just let me go, Glen." I said, attempting to reason with him. "We both walk away like nothing happened. I'll be off and you can go back to flouncing around at the party."

"You'd be disobeying faerie society by doing this, partner." He said. "The courts will send out hunters to track you down, and you never know what would happen if they find you. They could mark you as a traitor to the courts. They could expel you from school. And if you evade capture, you'll be a wanted criminal. Worse case scenario, they could turn you into a sprite."

I nodded, my jaw set. My heart was rapidly beating as I knew that what Glen said was most likely true. All of it.

"I'm going to have to take that chance." I whispered.

"You're absolutely crazy, partner." Glen smirked. "And that's why I'm going with you."

"What?" I exclaimed, but before I could protest Glen put his hand over my mouth.

"Be quiet." He ordered, and once I looked at the worry in his eyes, I obeyed.

I strained my ears. My heart dropped like a stone. I could hear the distant sounds of footsteps drawing closer. And voices.

"The headmistress said that the girl went this way." A gruff voice growled. It must have belonged to a guard. "I can't believe that Winter Academy's prodigy stole from her own school's armory."