Page 33 of Stuck with my Frenemy
A casino?
Why would anyone dabbling in powerful magic be in a place where humans gambled their money away?
“Why are we stopping?” Bernie questioned as he stood beside me and stared at the big, beautiful building. It had the flare, that was for sure. All bright lights and flashing signs.
“The trail leads to that building. This is the place we are looking for,” I explained to him, muttering the words as thoughts raced through my mind.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” Ebony grumbled as she sidled up to where we watched the extravagant entrance from across the street.
A big smile stretched my face. My whole face too. I really was so happy to see her. “Well, what a coinkydink finding you here, milady.”
“You are an idiot.”
Her monotone irked me a little, but I didn’t miss the corners of her lips quirking. She thought I was funny, but she didn’t want to admit it. Go figure. The Dark Princess had appearances to keep up too, but damn it if I hadn’t been chipping away at those. And successfully, too, I might add.
I’d said it before, and I’d say it a million more times: persistence was the key. If you wanted something in life, you had to keep at it and never give up. It was the only way.
“So, the thieves are in the casino?” Ash asked as he stared with narrowed eyes at the red-flashing lights that read: Cheap Trick Casino.
“Trick. Do you see that Cherry?” Ebony asked, her feet moving her forward even though she seemed reluctant to go.
“Mhm. I think I know exactly who is behind this now,” I announced, not wanting to say the name out loud. It all made sense, however.
“Well, what should we do—”
Bernie’s words were cut off when a couple dozen men wearing all black with masks covering their faces came rushing at us from the entrance, spreading out around us. My heart skipped a beat as I tried to take it all in and figure out how to get through it. I’d expected a fight, yes, and I might be scared to death of one, but I was also ready to do my part.
“Fuck.” Ebony spat, and my eyes found her just in time to see one of the men swing at her so hard she fell on the ground smacking the back of her head on the sidewalk. It shocked me that she would go down that fast, but further inspection told me it was because he’d hit her with a wooden club that was dangling from his fingers. My blood boiled, and I clenched my fists.
Oh, hell no.
Nobody touched my best friend and lived.
I ran at him like I had fire licking my ankles, and I didn’t think at all when I leaped on the guy’s back and tried to scratch his eyes out. My shrill scream bounced around the empty street as I clawed at his face.
He was about to go down, or I was.
Either way, Ebony would not be hurt anymore, and that was all that mattered.
