After we left the store, I stomped on my own foot. Quietly, so nobody would notice.

Stupid stupid stupid stupid, that was too far, more than she deserved!

Even though Karen is a nuisance. Even though her pigheadedness infuriates me. Even if that was a disgusting display, I should not have done that.

But I know why I did that, at least, and why I was so quick to apologise when I realised what I'd done. I'm lashing out for my own problems. Problems, in all honesty, I've caused myself.

Prodigy. Genius. They're great words. Powerful words. But they also shackle you to them. When people praise you as either of those things, they expect you to continue being brilliant, and that's the trap. Lettie, Karen, they're years younger than I am, and I just pushed something on them they really shouldn't be properly thinking about for a few years at least. Lettie got it, but even she was shocked at how hard I went. And the maid...

...I don't want your hero-worship. I get where you're coming from, but I don't want anyone looking up to me. I'm not doing this for good reasons, I'm doing this because I'm smart enough to know that this is the hard part.

But just because it is, doesn't mean I should have pushed that hard. And that's eating at me the whole time.

Just like it's eating at me that Lettie's holding Karen's hand. I know her well enough to know why. Of the two of us, she's probably the better, even if she is a self-confessed lazy so-and-so. She's making Karen feel better, whether she thinks it was too hard or not. But... Why isn't my hand being held?

...Wait, why am I asking that? I mean, it would be nice to be comforted, but I've never really said that, have I? And why am I thinking of Lettie's hand instead of Karen, or even the maid's?

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

I try to work that out for a few minutes, but nothing comes to mind. Only that desire, just once, to be given a headpat or some other affectionate gesture. By her.

And then I'm jerked out of it by a hand grabbing my shoulder suddenly. "Miss Elizabeth, where are Miss Karen and Miss Lettie?!?"

Wait... WHAT?!? I jerk around, and she's right. They're nowhere to be seen! But how... Her look of shock tells me something worrying. She was paying attention. And she still lost them. My heart beats faster, and my breath grows shorter. I'm responsible, I'm responsible, I'm responsi-

I can't sense her with my magic either. That almost sends me into a panic attack, but the maid's worry brings me back. She's in a worse state than I am, and I can't show weakness in front of her. That would make things much, much worse. So I call out firmly- Wait, what's her name again? J, Ja...

"Jennifer, hurry back to the estate and let the Duchess and Duke know the situation, and that I'm looking for them!"

Her face is pale "What about you, Miss Elizabeth?!"

I smile, as haughtily as I can. "Jennifer, I am a mage. I can take care of myself. Go!"

She doesn't need more encouragement, and I only briefly watch her run away before sitting down on a nearby crate.

She can't have been taken far away, so if I have something of hers to search for he-

"Hehe, something like this?" A ribbon is thrust into my face, and I leap back in shock. It's definitely Lettie's ribbon, and one of Karen's too, but... I don't recognise the face, and I instinctively begin creating the circle for a binding spell, to cat-

My magic fizzles out, and the figure in front of me smiles nastily. She's tall. Older than me, with bright red hair cascading to her hips, a toned figure, and... Emerald, snakelike eyes. The pressure from her is overwhelming, and I instinctively scrabble backwards. Which only makes her laugh, small fangs showing as her mouth widens. She leans forward, and presses the ribbons into my palm, as my heart tries to leap out of my mouth... Before she strokes my cheek, and the pressure recedes.

"There, there... It wouldn't be any fun if you were too scared to play hide-and-seek now, would it?"

Fun? What's fun about-

No. To her, it likely is. Even without the eyes, without that sickening feeling, I know what she is.

Demon. She laughs again. Can she read me as easily as I do-

"Miss Lettie? Why yes... Easier, in fact." She leans forward, and I try to crawl into the wall. "Oh, don't worry, I don't mean them any harm. In fact, what happened was, apart from me distracting you both, completely not my fault." She lifts me up with one hand, and firmly places me on the ground. Nobody's noticing us, and I don't expect them to. She doesn't want them to.

A pat on the back, and another on my head. "Now, off you run, you've got some friends to find! And... Aren't you glad somebody is encouraging you?"

I run, forming a new tracking spell in my mind. I'm not glad. I'm not glad at all.

What the hell have you gotten involved with, Lettie?