15
“Iamnotgoing back to that house, Christabella,” I said, turning on my heel as Maddox and Alexander hauled Edmund up the stairs.
Christabella poked her head through the threshold.“Can I come in, Alexander?”
“Sure,” he replied over his shoulder.He grunted when he, Maddox, and Edmund stumbled into the wall.“Horsefeathers, you’re heavy.”
The three of them disappeared up to the second floor, the wooden stairs creaking under their combined weight.
I whirled around as Christabella conjured a smaller light on her finger, more suitable for indoors.
“Are you going to tell me why you’ve brought two strangers here?And why you didn’t tell me you were here at all?”Christabella asked, setting a hand on her hip.
I stuffed my hands into my pockets and paced the entryway.“Chrissy, you should go home.Ma’s probably panicking thinking you got trampled or something.”
Christabella crossed her arms.The ball of light stayed floating beside her.“Ma isalwayspanicking.She won’t miss me.Now spill.”
“Aren’t you going to tell me about you and Alexander’s engagement?”I countered.
She uncrossed her arms, her eyes widening.“How did you find out?”
“Your fiancé told me,” I said.“What were you thinking Chrissy?You’re only fifteen—”
“Sixteen!”Christabella interrupted.“A lot changed while you were gone, alright?”
I shook my head.“Listen, I’ll talk to you later.Edmund is injured and—”
“Who is Edmund?”she burst out.
I heaved a massive sigh.“He’s the human emissary here to visit Witch Village for two weeks, and he will be reporting his experiences to the King's Council who will then release his reports to the public; so, if for whatever reason, something terrible happens to him—such as the entire village falling into darkness and him twisting his ankle—it will reflect badly on the village and witches as a whole and who knows what will happen to us then!”
Christabella’s mouth fell open.
I took her shoulders and steered her back to the door.I hated driving her away like this, but I couldn’t risk Ma tracking her down and finding me.“Now get home safely and don’t tell Ma you saw me here.”
“But, Gigi!I just found you.”Christabella’s eyes grew glassy.With tears, if I wasn’t mistaken.
I sighed and gave her a hug.“We’ll meet again, I promise.”
Christabella wiped her eyes.“Alright.”
We both knew it was unlikely Ma would even let her out of the house in these conditions once she returned, but if Christabella had the guts to become secretly engaged to Alexander, she should have the guts to sneak out of the house at least once.
When my sister departed, taking her light with her, I fumbled my way up the stairs until I came to the short hallway outside Edmund’s room.
Alexander’s voice drifted out.“...may have to move you, sir.We aren’t equipped with antidotes or remedies here.”
I hurried in without knocking.“What?We can’t move him!”
