The War of Elevens| Book 1 of the Space Thief Chronicles

Chapter 14| The Space Thief Steals

Although she despised him, Lilly could not sit still knowing that Max's ear was in pain because his earlobe had just been cut off by a terrifying instructor, so she decided to explore.

Stevia had dismissed her instruction period early—most other periods were still in session, and the halls were empty of people. Lilly combed through the vast network of the training facility, through roofless hallways made entirely of plants and clearings with teacups dangling on strings connected to the ceiling. The stinging stopped its bitter torrent over Lilly's limbs and shoulder the longer she walked, and she was able to pluck out the last of the leftover thorns that Max had embedded into her legs. 

She walked into a hall with walls completely composed of windows. The silver floor was gilded in the warm yellow sunlight of late afternoon and the air was warm, pleasantly thick, and fragrant with floral smells wafting from the garden-themed ceiling of the next hall over. Lilly saw herself reflected in the floor-to-ceiling windows, outlined in gold, and beyond the glass, she could make out the rough outlines of tawny hills and ocher mountains. The sun itself slunk down beneath the bumpy horizon line like a lazy animal.

Suddenly, the floor vibrated beneath her shoes.

Lilly jumped back as the ground split open around her feet. Branches rose up, up, up through the fractures in the floor. For a terrible three seconds, Lilly worried that Max was back for round three...she rubbed sweaty palms against her pants as the branches creaked and groaned, twisting into each other.

The limbs stopped growing at knee-height and the ground ceased its vibrating—and an envelope appeared in the clutches of the limbs. 

Common sense told her that perhaps this was some sort of bizarre magical thing trying to chop her fingers off. Curiosity made her want to examine the envelope. She went with curiosity (because, really, what fun was common sense at a time like this?) and plucked the envelope from the branches's protective grip.

As soon as she pulled the envelope out, the branches unwound and slid back into the floor, disappearing as if they had never existed in the first place. Lilly breathed an astonished laugh and flipped the envelope over.

It read Lillian Cart Ci in a familiar script, the handwriting so neat and gorgeous that Lilly scoffed. Melissa's handwriting was just as striking as Melissa herself.

Lilly opened tore the envelope open and pulled out the letter inside.

Hi, Kettle Fire,

I'm sorry if the letter-sending startled you. In the Shifter World, there are three ways to send letters: Fire-messages; which is the easiest way to send a letter but not always the most convenient because one needs a fire fountain to receive them; water-words, which are more for the government because there's a universal password needed to read the words sent to you, and only the government has those; and earth-letters. Earth-letters cost more money and take a little longer to send, but they're good because you can get them right where you are. It's easier to secret-keep that way, too.

Speaking of secret-keeping, secret-telling takes a lot of work, and as we were talking at the kitchen table the other night, I completely forgot to mention that, after our conversation, when you went upstairs to get ready for bed, I wrote a letter to the Board Members explaining that you don't have magic. It happens in the Shifter World sometimes and isn't a completely uncommon occurrence. I'm so sorry I forgot to mention that. I was so tired that night. 

I just got out of a meeting with the Board Members and several Bloom Officials that regulate how Elliott Way is run. They've decided to keep you. They know. Don't freak out. Most of your instructors should know by the morning.