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Angie and Kat sat impatiently in their chairs, waiting for Krauss to return. Outside the windows and door, wisps floated, guarding them or keeping them there.
“I should have trusted you,” Kat whispered. “What you said about Lara. You were right. We couldn’t trust her.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Angie said, tears falling down her cheeks. “We have bigger things to worry about right now.”
“Suspects in a murder case,” Kat said, almost laughing because of how ridiculous it sounded. “I never thought my first year of high school would be like this.”
“How many saw us?” Angie said, fiddling with a strand of her blonde hair. She pulled her black skirt down over her knees. “Everyone’s going to think we’re evil.”
“You really care what anyone here thinks?”
Angie gave her a side glance. “You don’t?”
Kat picked out a few small pieces of broken glass from her tangled hair. “Not really, but to answer your question, a few saw us being dragged here by the wisps. Dana Gorgonio being one of them.”
“Great.” Angie huffed. “So the whole school will know by now then. She already thinks you’re on their side.”
“Katarina, Angelina,” Krauss said and stepped into her office, followed by Mr. Jameson.
They both straightened. “We didn’t do anything,” Angie said, wild-eyed. “It was her, Lara.”
Mistress Krauss sat behind her desk, facing the girls. “I never said you did do anything.”
Kat relaxed, but Angie leaned forward. “No, but why else were we dragged here?”
“You were found in the room next to Mrs. Roman.”
Kat’s heart pounded loudly, and Angie sat back. “The teacher killed was Mrs. Roman?” Kat asked, remembering her fiery red hair and hazy eyes.
“Yes.”
Kat lowered her head. “I liked her.”
Mr. Jameson stepped forward. “She was a wonderful teacher.”
“We need to know,” Krauss said, looking Kat square in the eyes. “Do you know anything about how she died?”
Kat shook her head.
Mistress Krauss sat back and placed her fingers together, leaning her head on the tips. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t believe you two had anything to do with this, but as you were at the scene when students were confined to their rooms, we have no choice—”
“Do what?”
“You will be both be suspended until we can figure this all out.”
“No!” They both protested. “It was Lara.”
Mistress Krauss sighed. “Lara was in her room the whole time. Do you have any evidence?”
“No,” Kat said, defeated.
“Your parents will be alerted, and you will both be sent back by broom travel.”
Flying broomsticks were rare; Angie was surprised to learn they even had them here. “I guess we have no choice.”
Kat nodded. “We better go then.”
“Sorry, girls. It’s for your own good too.” Krauss quickly left the room, followed by Mr. Jameson.
The wisps escorted them out of the office and onto the courtyard where dozens of students stood huddled in groups, whispering to each other, all looking at the pair.
“This is uncomfortable,” Angie said.
Kat agreed and looked over to the willow tree where her sister stood in her red cloak. “Ang.”
Angie looked back. “What?”
“What if we could find out for them?”
“We have no proof of anything.”
Kat grabbed her arm, slowing her pace. “No,” she said in her ear. “But remember what Krauss said about the Book of the Dead? It’s our book. That’s what you were given. If you can remember who gave it to you...or perhaps even find a spell in there that could help track it back to the owner or something?”
A small smile crept across Angie’s face. “You’re right. Let’s do this.”
“But how are we going to get free?”
Angie looked left to right. “We can wield all the elements, remember? What if we create a diversion?”
“I don’t know what I’m doing. I can’t control it.”
Angie rolled her eyes. “Silly Kat. We don’t need to control it. Just make something big happen.”
“Like?”
Angie looked over at the willow tree and sucked in a deep breath. She took Kat’s hand, and they both briefly closed their eyes.
It was the first time they had done magick together, and the pulse raged between the pair, stronger than anything they had felt on their own.
Kat imagined a wave falling over the trees and tree vines spreading up to the school, wind soaring high, and the tree on fire.
Angie imagined the tree on fire, strong wind, the earth shaking beneath them, and water filling the courtyard.
When they both opened their eyes, havoc had been wreaked. It wasn’t as either of them had envisioned.
The tree was not alight, but Krauss’s office was. The pipes had broken and began flooding the school, a small tornado swirled in the grounds, and the trees of the woods seemed to come to life.
“What did we do?” Kat asked, trembling. “What have we done, Ang?” Her breaths quickened, and her knees gave way.
“We can’t stop it now,” Angie said, pulling Kat up. “The wisps have gone to the destruction. It’s our chance. Do you want to solve this or not?”
Kat nodded, wiped the tears that blurred her vision, and ran with Angie to their room.