OVERLOOKED ㅤkotlc

054

A long, long pause. Rosaleen turns to me, her eyes frustrated. "Well... Skylar's not here," she says, glancing at Kenric.

I blink, realizing the reason we came here for the first place. "Oh. Right."

Kenric tilts his head. "Skylar?"

Right—he doesn't know her. "She's a human girl," I say. "We went to train in the Forbidden Cities, and she was able to grab me when we lightleaped back."

He studies me, suddenly concerned. "Neither of you faded?"

"Well..."

"Dex did, a little bit," Rosaleen says. I glance at her, surprised by the fear in her voice. But when she speaks next, it's gone, like it was never there. "But he's okay now, and it's not her fault."

"You're at least a little mad," Kenric says, his eyebrows raised in slight amusement.

"Maybe a little," she admits. "Logically, though, I know it's not her fault, so it's just my emotions messing with my head."

Kenric thinks for a moment, then stands from the floor, the chain around his swollen ankle clanking against the cold ground.

"Was she about ye tall?" he says, putting a hand to his chest. I can't help but smile at his lighthearted wording.

Rosaleen steps back to get a better look at his estimate, then looks at me. "I think so? What do you think?"

I tilt my head. "She's around there, yeah," I say. "Why? Did you see her?"

"It might've been her," Kenric says. "It was too dark and I was too tired to really get any details. It felt like a dream, actually, when I woke up."

We wait for him to collect his thoughts.

"Hm, someone almost got thrown in the other day, but before she could, this mysterious person stopped them. I can't remember if they were a guy or a girl or anything in between, but they were definitely a Conjurer."

I frown. "Koray, maybe?"

Rosaleen shakes her head. "It could be Koray," she says, "but he's probably not their only Conjurer."

"Did anything else happen?" I ask Kenric.

He pauses to think. "They said that if she really was a thief, she'd probably find a way to get out. Said that the glass wall was easy to figure out, and that if they could do it, she could too."

"How about their voice?" Rosaleen asks. "Do you remember what they sounded like?"

"Not really. They were tall, though."

Before either of us can reply, Erum tunnels up through the ground. "Lady Vespera says you shouldn't concern yourself with the human," they say apologetically.

I watch the glass darken and hear the microphones cut. It makes me frustrated, but I don't show it.

"No goodbye?" I ask.

"Not today."

I try my best not to be bitter (it's hard, and I have to resort to just hiding it), and we follow them up the stairs, taking a new piece of information with us and out the prison. Erum closes the door behind us, and we lock the door next to the stage, too.

"A Conjurer," Rosaleen repeats to herself, thoughtful.

I laugh. I bet she's already trying to figure it out, and if I'm being honest, it's Rosaleen, and she has a good shot at getting the right answer.

Another silence, and then she snaps her fingers and says, "It's Koray."

There's a confident edge in her voice, and it suits her so well that I consider entertaining it. Am I really just—man. What did I get myself into?

"Really? Why?"

"Gisela said he's a thief, and Kenric said he was like, 'If I can pick a lock she can too.'" With that, Rosaleen stretches, a self-satisfied smile on her lips.

I laugh to myself. "Big brain," I tease.

She sticks her tongue at me, then asks with her eyes if I want to go back to my room; I nod. We start walking, and I can tell Rosaleen's still thinking about Skylar.

I steal another glance at her. It's almost embarrassing how much I've grown to like her. "What's on your mind?" I ask, even though I already know the answer.

She purses her lips. "Skylar's probably in Koray's room or something, since the way Kenric phrased it made it sound like they'd put her in his care, since he stood up for her."

"Hm. That makes sense." We stop in front of my room's door, but neither of us open it. Suddenly, it's too stuffy inside this crystal palace, and I turn to her. "Wanna go outside?"

Rosaleen's eyes lighten, and she shakes herself out of her thoughts. "I'd love to."

˚ ༘ 🌷 ── author's note!

this feels so clunky but oh well its fine for now🧍‍♀️

anyway 1) tysm 2 DuNdUnDUN2006 for voting and reading <33!! i appreciate it a lot and im glad u enjoyed the story so far :DD

2) cici's art bcs her and her art are very swaggy like that >:) !!

i love ur art sm, the way u draw them all is so Pretty and soft and has such good vibes, pretty girls my beloved <3 :D

( they all seem so glowy and i love it )

all your art is just so nice <33 !

,,,on another note (i cannot transition well) tysm for reading! i'll see yall on thursday B)