Page 12

I'll be the one looking for her.

Chapter four

Leo

What a fucking mess.

My head pounds as I attempt to process the events of the past twenty-four hours. I'm angry, but also terrified and guilty—so incredibly guilty.

Dottie asked about Vera at breakfast this morning, and I blew up at her, refusing to explain anything. I want to apologize. If I'd told her everything, maybe she could have avoided this entire nightmare?

Detective Pullier said Dottie was lured away by a text that looked like it came from Toto.

But why Toto?

I understand why Vera would focus on Dottie—she's family to us.

But Toto is different.

We haven't even told Dottie how we feel about her. Hell, we’ve barely admitted it to each other. So how does Vera know? It doesn't make sense.

We stay close together as we travel, careful not to draw attention to ourselves. For now, the moonlight filtering through the trees is enough to guide us deeper into the woods.

Toto taps my arm and whispers, "It's about half a mile past this trail here."

Gillikin bumps break out on my flesh from her touch, and I quickly move away, heading toward where she’s pointing. Every time she touches me—a brush of her arm, a hug, the bump of her shoulder against mine—is a reminder of everything I want but can’t have.

I've built quite the shield over the years, letting her think I need personal space, but it's self-preservation at its finest.

We pick our way over thick tree roots, our feet sliding on pine needles as we go. At one point, the flap of wings overhead sends us ducking beneath the brush. Two flying monkeys swoop through the trees, fighting over an apple. One snatches it from the other and takes off, the loser screeching furiously as he gives chase.

We've been gone from the house for over an hour, but as far as we know, the wizards guarding us still think we’re sound asleep in our beds. But that doesn’t mean the flying monkeys who work for Vera aren’t searching for us.

When the coast is clear, Nick leads us back onto the path. Granger walks beside Toto, and I follow behind them. Nobody talks, but Granger's arm brushes against Toto's fourteen times, and he places his hand on the small of her back twice.

I'd like to break his arm. Not because I wouldn't be willing to share her—I want whatever makes Toto happy—but I'm jealous that Granger has found small ways to touch her while I’ve spent years finding reasons not to.

She’s all joy and light, and I’m made of darker things.

"It's right up here." Toto rushes past Nick toward what looks like nothing more than a pile of rocks tucked beneath a large, knotted oak. She drops to her knees and clears away the pine needles and leaves, revealing more of the stones beneath.

Once she’s satisfied, she pushes to her feet and turns to us. "Okay, I'm going to say the words, and then we need to jump at the same time."

"You sure this will work?" Nick asks, eyeing the pile of rocks in front of us.

"No," Toto says, biting her lip. "I've only ever done this with my friend Anaviere, but it's the only portal I know of."

"Was Anaviere a witch?" Granger asks.

"No." Toto smiles mysteriously, then takes a deep breath. "She was my childhood friend for four years, but nobody even knew she existed."

Nick frowns. "What do you mean?"

Toto shrugs. "Everyone thought I had an imaginary friend when I was little. Turns out she wasn’t imaginary. She was a fairy from Fable Forest.”

Nick stares at her, but Toto continues like this is perfectly normal.

“Not all magical beings in Fable Forest are bad, but my grandparents would never have let me play with her if they knew she was real. So I let them think I’d made her up."