City in the Clouds

Chapter 17

"Not bad." I grinned.

"That's fifteen minutes our time."

"Still, not so bad." My smile faltered. "Where's Drew?"

"I'm here!" Drew gasped, clutching his side. "How are you guys able to run so fast?"

"It's our magic," Crystal smiled. "it helps us run faster and farther."

"How come my magic isn't helping me?" Drew complained.

"You're magic is different than ours." Crystal said as if that explained everything, which it didn't.

"Come on, let's go find Amy!" I cheered running through the gate, completely ignoring the guards in the way.

"Hey, Flame! Wait up!" Crystal called chasing after me and quickly paying the guards the crossing fee.

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I collapsed in the center of town, exhausted. "We've been looking all day and we didn't find anything about her!"

"You didn't expect to find her right away did you?" Crystal laughed.

"No, I guess you're right." I sighed, disappointed.

Drew put his arm around me comfortingly and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, we'll find her. No matter what it takes we will."

"Drew, why don't you go grab us some lunch." Crystal said handing him some coins.

"But I..."

"You'll figure it out. Just get anything edible."

"Alright." He said uncertainly before walking away.

Crystal and I sat in silence on the edge of a large fountain staring at the shimmering coins of copper, silver and gold at the bottom of the fountain's marble basin.

"Crystal, did you get those coins from the fountain?" I asked nervously.

"It's not like they were for anything." She shrugged.

I looked between my legs at a bronze plaque, drilled into the white marble. "It says it was for orphans."

Crystal shrugged. "That's ok, we're pretty much orphan's ourselves." I laughed before we lapsed into another period of silence.

"Excuse me? Mrs. Potsbalam? Have you seen anyone asking around for a girl?" A loud voice asked and I lifted my head in surprise.

"Yes, I believe those two over there by the fountain were searching for a girl." She said in hushed tones, pointing towards us.

"Crystal?" I whispered.

"Mmmhmmm?"

"You heard all of that, right?"

"Right."

"Should we attack?" I asked, fidgeting; ready to fight.

"No lets see what blondie wants." She said, not even bothering to look up from a book she had bought earlier.

"Excuse me?" I looked up to see a faerie woman standing before us with long blonde hair.

"What do you want?" I scoffed.

"I hear you've been causing a fuss asking around about someone."

"What do you care?"

"I thought I may be able to help."

I stood angrily. "We don't need you're-!"

Crystal put a hand on my shoulder and pushed me back down.

"What do you want in return?" She asked standing to glare at her in the eyes.

The faerie smiled smugly. "Tell me who you're looking for and why."

I shot up again determined to get a say in the conversation. "We're looking for..." This time Crystal slapped her hand over my mouth.

"I'm sorry, my friend here just loves to blurt things out." She apologized, much to my distaste. "How do we know we can trust you?"

The woman grinned as if that had been the question she'd hoped we'd ask. "You just don't."

Crystal sighed in defeat. "Fine, we're looking for a girl named Amy, she has Orange hair... Brown eyes."

I bit Crystal's fingers and she released her hand from my mouth immediately. "Please! You have to help me find my sister!" I begged, reaching out to grab her shoulders.

Crystal stopped me again, this time pushing me into the fountain.

"I apologize... again." She said through gritted teeth.

The faerie stared at us in awe. "Amy's.... sister?"

"Yes." I said calmly.

"That can't be true!" She exclaimed her face stricken with terror. "But that means..." Her voice trailed off.

"Means what?" Crystal asked.

"It means we have made a terrible mistake."