Page 23 of Witch Queens: Tales from Oz

“I am not calling Dad!” I said adamantly. It was just like Glenda to want to run to Daddy. But wasn’t that the whole point of him giving us the responsibility in the first place?

“I agree with Indy,” El flipped her wavy brown hair behind her shoulder.

Glenda rolled her eyes, flashing her perfect manicure exclaimed with her hands, “Of course you agree with Bastinda! You always agree with her, Elphaba. You are twins after all.”

I fucking hated when she used my full name, and she knew it—bitch.

El’s hands started to blaze, “Listen, Ms. Good-For-Nothing if you want to run to Daddy, go right ahead. But I think that Indy is showing leadership and determination by taking this on by herself.”

Glenda pouted, her pretty pink bottom lip popping out. “What do you think, Mombi?”

But Mombi hadn’t been paying much attention. Her eyes had been glued to Jake since the moment she had walked in.

“When did he start working here?” she asked, not caring that she was changing the subject.

I lifted a brow, “I haven’t any idea. Why?”

Mombi’s bright green eyes shot over to me, “Don’t you know who that is?”

I looked at El and then back at Jake. Was this a trick question?

“Yes,” I answered, “That is Jake, he is Scarecrow’s friend and bartender.”

Mombi let out a humorless huff, “He’s a hell of a lot more than that.”

Intrigued, I leaned in, “What do you mean?”

“I can’t believe his pride hasn’t come after him,” she mused.

Jake lifted his head as if he heard her. And then to my surprise, a slow smile crossed his face and my sister, the queen of confidence, blushed. It was the strangest moment I have ever been a part of.

“What the hell was that?” El didn’t mince words.

Mombi looked away, “Nothing, what were we talking about?”

Glenda perked up, “Do you think we should tell Daddy about the Dorothy creature that keeps murdering the Munchkins?”

Mombi was silent for a moment before answering, “I apologize for not believing you. But no, I don’t think we should get Dad involved.”

Glenda pouted.

I waved Mombi’s apologies off, ignoring Glenda, “Don’t worry about it. Scarecrow could have backed me up better,” I grumbled half to myself.

She cocked her head to the side, “You looked pretty cozy with that outlaw, what is the story there?”

It was my turn to blush as my sisters leaned in.

“Oh, hell no!” El squealed, “You're fucking him! Don’t say you aren’t. It’s written all over your face.”

Glenda blanched, “But you aren’t married!”

We all rolled our eyes.

Mombi laughed, “I had thought it was something like that. When did you get together?”

I froze. It wasn’t like we were together. Scarecrow had made it very clear that he didn’t do relationships.

What was I to him—if anything?

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