Even though I say it’s not necessary, Mom insists we drive around the neighborhood, looking for Talia. We even look at the nearest Trailways bus station and ask if they’ve seen her. “I didn’t even know there was a Trailways bus station,” I tell Mom. “What are the odds that Talia would find it?” But Mom says we should leave no stone unturned.
So when we’ve finally turned every stone (and haven’t found Talia), we head back home and go online to order a plane ticket.
“Get two,” Dad says.
“Two?”
“One for me, one for you.”
I heard Dad before when he said he wanted to see Euphrasia, but I didn’t think he was serious. The thought of ten plus hours on the plane with Dad doesn’t do it for me.
“Don’t you have work or something?” I ask him. He always has to work.
He shrugs. “I can move some things around.”
“But I can go by myself. I went by myself before.”
“The last time you went on a trip by yourself,” my dear little sister says, “you sneaked away from the tour group, went to a nonexistent country, and kidnapped the heir to the throne. So, understandably, Dad’s worried about what will happen if he sends you back.”
“Shut up,” I say.
“That’s not it,” Dad says.
“What is it then?”
Dad thinks a minute. “I want to see this Euphrasia. Besides, if it’s really like you say, with witches and curses and kidnappings, it could be dangerous. If this Malvolia has really been plotting against Talia for three hundred years, she’s not going to give up easily.
Wow. He actually listened and believed me.
“Okay. Then I guess we should get going.”
And that’s how I end up spending the next twenty-four hours alone with my dad, flying to Brussels and then driving to Euphrasia.