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She smirked. “I knew it. So it is something special after all. Are you ready to confess?”
I remained silent.
She smiled sweetly. “Have it your way, but I’ll eventually discover the truth, with or without your cooperation. Until I figure out what this evidence is, I’m keeping it.” She tucked the jar into the frothy folds of her cloud body, which absorbed it until it disappeared. Just like that, it was gone.
I gritted my teeth. After I’d worked so hard to finally capture a dream, she’d taken it without remorse, and now I’d never get it back. I’d endured more than enough of this creature. I spun around and stomped away.
“Wait, where are you going?” Stardust called after me.
“Home.”
She darted in front of me and blocked my way. “But I haven’t finished investigating you.”
“Why would I stay after you stole from me?”
“Don’t turn me into a criminal; I’m not one of your kind. It’s a detective’s job to gather evidence. I merelyborrowedthe clue for further study with no intention in the foreseeable future of giving it back.”
“I have no idea where you’re from, but here on Earth, we call thatstealing.” I tried to march around her but she hooked herself onto my legs, jerking me to a stop. “Let go.” I tried to shake her off but she clung on.
“You can’t leave until I finish with you.”
I trudged through the meadow towards home, dragging her behind while she jabbered.
“You don’t understand, Ineedto be the one to solve this mysterious burst of magic. Magic of such quantity—more than the amount used in a standard Weaving—is unheard of on Earth. I need to figure out not onlywhoused it butwhy. It’s the only way I can convince the Investigations Team to let me join. You’re not only my key witness but also my only suspect, so you can’t leave until I interview you further.”
My legs burned from the effort of tugging her. Panting, I paused. “How long are you going to keep this up?”
She peeked between my legs and batted her eyes. “Until I’ve finished my investigation, however long that takes.”
There probably wasn’t any harm in letting her poke around for a bit longer—other than the definite possibility I’d get a headache before the day ended. I doubted she’d connect me to the dream shattering, plus I needed to get my dream back.
I sighed. There didn’t seem to be any other option. “I have nothing to hide, so if I let you finish investigating me, will you return my jar and leave me alone?”
She thought about it for a moment. “Deal, but only if I learn it’s completely unrelated to the case.”
For now, it was the best I could hope for.
Chapter 4
Ipeeked through the slit in the curtains of the kitchen window. Mother stood over the hearth, stirring a pot of oatmeal. Stardust squashed against my shoulder. “Is that your mother?”
“Shh.” I rapidly withdrew from view. “You mustn’t let Mother see or hear you.”
“I’ve already told you: only those with magic can see adorable clouds such as myself.”
I bit my lip. That was the problem. Mother abhorred even the mere mention of magic, but ever since using the strange dust I’d stolen from her pendant, I now knew she also possessed some form of power, an idea I couldn’t even begin to fathom. Until I better understood the ramifications of my discovery, I needed to remain cautious.
I stole another glance into the kitchen. “How will we sneak past her? Morph into something small enough so she won’t notice you.”
Stardust frowned. “You’re worried she’ll see me, which means shedoeshave magic. I should have suspected you weren’t the only one. She’s probably your magic tutor.”
“I’ve practiced on my own,” I said. “The only help I’ve received from her was taking some of her magic dust.”
Stardust immediately morphed back into her notebook and scribbled excitedly. “My prime suspect reveals she stole her feeble powers from her own mother, who appears to be the second mysterious possessor of magic living on Earth…one I have a suspicion about. Investigate reports of other unexplainable traces of magic found in this area and determine if there’s a possible link.”
“It doesn’t seem very secretive to have your suspect hear the conclusions you’re drawing about her, as false as they are,” I said.
Stardust morphed back into herself with a cheerfulpop. “I’m not scared of you. Now let’s go.”
