Wonderful | wicked | book 2/3

Elphie

There's an exited shriek from downstairs, me and Boc glance worriedly at each other and we both dash downstairs.
Glinda and Nessa are stood at the end of the hallway, a large old looking book with fancy italic lettering is proudly displayed in Nessas hands.
"You found it" I cry exitedly, I turn to see Boc looking very anxiously, his eyes glaring at the book.
Fiyero emerges shortly and grins when he sees Nessa bearing the spell book, he quickly hands me the Grimmerie.
I reach out towards Nessa, expecting her to hand me her book.
"CanI see it for a moment?" I ask, Nessa flashes a worried look, her grip on its spine tightens, her knuckles look as though they could burst through her skin.
I take a cautious step forward.
Nessa makes a bolt for it.

Before I can register what's happening, Nessa is already half way down the corridor, she's running so fast it feels as though she could take flight.
I chase after her, followed by Glinda, who picks up both sides of her rather unGlinda like simple blue dress, and dashes shortly behind me.
We reach the end of the hallway, Nessa throws herself through the door to our fathers office.
Me and Glinda stop in our tracks, I hear the bolt on the inside of the door slide shut.
She's locked us out.
At that moment, Fiyero and Boc come around the corner, Fiyero bends over, hands on his thighs.
He breathes deeply for a moment and then comes to stand next to me.
"Ness please come out!" I call, there's no answer from inside.
"What's she planning on doing with it?" Boc says worriedly, Glinda scowls at him and crouches by the door.
She knocks on it gently,
"Nessa I'm sorry if we gave you a fright" she says, pressing her face up against the side of the door.
I stand near Glinda and put my ear up onto the door, similarly to Glinda, I can hear Nessa crying from inside.
Glinda stands up and gives me an anxious look,
"What if she tries to cast a spell?" Glinda whispers to me, her breaths tickling my ear.
"She wouldn't, not after what happened last time" I mumble back.
Fiyero coughs and I look up, his eyes unreadable.
"How do we get her out?" He asks, sounding concerned.
"I don't know, I don't want to scare her" I say, I hate not having a plan.
I refuse to use magic to open the door, it's just not fair, if she's not doing anything terrible then there's no point in me forcing the door open.

After a while of waiting, Glinda has started to get terribly anxious, she paces aggressively up and down the hallway and once again I find myself counting the steps.
I knock on the door, I can still hear Nessa crying but I feel it's best to let her know that we are still here.
"Nessa, your not in trouble, but when you ready to come out I'm just letting you know that we will be here waiting for you" I say trying to sound loving and unintentionally probably sounding quite motherly.
Not that either of us really know what that sounds like.
I'm starting to lose my patience, but I've promised myself that I won't lose my temper with Nessa since the last time I did I left her out of frustration when she needed me the most.
Glinda stops pacing and goes back over to the door,
She rests a hand on it and leans her forehead against it.
"Elphie" Glinda whispers "this might me my fault"
I narrow my eyes,
"Whilst we were searching I found a photo album of her, she really didn't want to show me but I just kept nagging until she did, do you think I upset her?"
I shake my head and put an arm over Glindas shoulder.
"If she really minded you seeing the photos she wouldn't have shown you" I say truthfully "Your lucky, she never let me look at photos of her as a baby"
Glinda lets out a well needed sigh of relief.

A while passes, Nessa still hasn't left the room, Boc has wondered away and I feel Fiyero is about to as well, Nessa crying is audible without having to put your ear up against the door.
I wonder if this was what I saw in that vision.
"Fiyero you can go and be with Boc if your bored, me and Glinda can take it from here" I say kindly, knowing Fiyero isn't very good at times like this.
He nods understandingly.
"If you need me, shout" she says sweetly walking off to follow Boc.
I sit down with my back pressed up against the door, Glinda soon joins me.
"How long do you think she will stay in there?" Glinda asks.
You can never be sure with Nessa, when we were kids she died to be able to hold onto things for the longest time.
"Not sure" I say trying to keep my frustration internal.
"Oh, I hate to think of Nessa in there by herself" Glinda says, her voice sounds like she might start to cry at any moment.
I don't think I'd be able to handle hearing them both.
"Glinda, I'm worried" I whisper bluntly, I've got to keep my voice down now since I'm against the door and I don't know where ness is inside the room.
"What if the spell is bad news, what if something terrible happens" I'm starting to cry now, this ain't what I wanted.
I cutch the Grimmerie to my chest.
Glinda pats my shoulder.
"I can't loose her again" I splutter, "what if I can't bring her back this time"
I turn into Glindas already open arms, she holds tightly me for a moment, I feel so safe inside her comforting grasp.
untill I hear the unmissable sound of the door lock click long open, me and Glinda rush to our feet and scramble away from the door.