Page 31 of Dottie's Forbidden Wizard
I move as quietly as possible on all fours, my palms and knees scraping against the rough concrete. Crawling from behind the stack, I keep low to the ground until I get to the next pile. Iskirt behind the plastic sheeting stapled to a two-by-four frame. I need to circle back to the chair to grab the brooch.
It's the only magic I have, and I know all too well that I'm a sitting duck without some help.
Two loud cracks come from behind me as the women reach the stack of drywall.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Vera's voice is the stuff of nightmares.
I remember Granger's warning from this morning. Rotten to the core is too kind for the soul of someone like Vera.
"Oh, this is fun, Dottie. But we're gonna get ya," Griselda snarls.
"I think I'd like your arm for my collection," Vera taunts.
I duck behind a work table, barely concealed but within ten feet of salvation.
"I've already got one, you know. Your Tin Man had such a lovely arm," Vera sneers.
I clamp a hand over my mouth, trying not to vomit as I realize she's talking about Nick. Is that what happened?She took his arm?
A small sob escapes as I run for the brooch, knowing I'm out of time.
Griselda leaps, landing in front of me with a snarl, but I slide between her legs, toppling her to the ground. I fumble for the brooch, knocking it out of reach, then lunge forward with a burst of adrenaline to grasp it.
"You gave up your chance to escape to reclaim a piece of junk?" Griselda cackles, getting to her feet. Her usually perfect hair is wild as she levels her wand at me, her face twisted with rage.
I close my eyes, holding the heirloom to my heart as I curl into a fetal position and scream, "Take me home!"
The last image I see before the world bursts into technicolor is Griselda's furious face.
I look around the rainbow vortex, trying to get my bearings, but it's a losing battle, and I give myself over to the magic. Just when I think I may never be free again, I plunge full force into the little cabin in the woods.
I land on my feet, looking around wildly. Checking behind me to make sure they haven’t followed me, I fall to my knees with a sob. I vaguely register a voice saying my name over and over, but it sounds like it's underwater.
Strong arms wrap around me, and the scent of spice and licorice flowers permeates my nostrils. I finally open my eyes.
"Dottie!" Maddox is frantically trying to get my attention.
I blink, locking eyes with him before throwing myself against his chest with a sob.
"Griselda and Vera. They're at Ozella Tower. Thirteenth floor. They were t-trying to kill me!" Now that I can talk again, I can't stop. I babble about Toto, the brooch, Nick's arm, and the evil monsters that will haunt my nightmares until the end of time.
"They're never going to stop, Maddox!" I wail. Then I freeze. "Maddox, we have to warn my brothers!"
Maddox doesn’t relinquish his hold on me as he pulls out his phone and barks orders, making call after call. I can't say anymore without crying, so I huddle into his arms, my body trembling like I'm stuck in a blizzard as I try to calm my racing heart.
"Thank you, Gigi. Yes, she's safe." Maddox eyes me with concern. "I’ll bring her home soon. I promise."
Maddox hangs up with his grandmother and lifts me into his arms. He carries me to the bed, whispering against my hair as he strokes my back. "You're safe, Dottie. Your brothers are safe. Toto is safe."
Finally, I calm enough to register his words. "How do you know?" I ask, my lip trembling as I look up at him through wet lashes.
"The guards caught Griselda. They were already searching for her in connection with an arson charge. She’ll now face kidnapping and assault charges too."
Maddox looks at me with love shining in his eyes. "The magic community does not look kindly upon those who use their powers for evil. She'll be locked away for a very long time."
"And Vera?"
Maddox hesitates. "She got away. For now. But she's no longer registering within Oz. We have armed guards stationed around your brothers' place, just in case, and Toto is there with them. They'll find her soon."
