by Dani Hoots
I wanted to punch her, hell I wanted to strangle her. How could she do such a thing, to bring harm on someone she didn’t even know just to get to me. “Where is she. Tell me where she is!”
“I will, but you will have to make a choice. Go to her now and let me perform. The truth will come out about what you are. Or forget about her and perform and maybe you will get your chance to go to Paris. It’s your dream right?”
I grabbed my coat and ran. It wasn’t even a choice, Maarika was out there somewhere, suffering, laying in an alleyway for all I knew. I went the route that we always went, knowing she had to be somewhere around the area. I couldn’t let her suffer any longer, I had to get her to a hospital.
Even though I knew she was going to be mad at me for throwing everything away, I couldn’t let her suffer any longer. It was freezing out and if she didn’t get help she could end up in a lot of trouble. I would make Tabitha pay in the end, even if it was the last thing I did. But either way there would be no escape for me now, and the truth would come out to Madame Bodrov. She would kick me out of the academy, if not only for just leaving the theater right before the ballet. It was irresponsible of me but she knew the truth, maybe she would have some sympathy.
Though, knowing this world. Probably not.
I finally found her about a mile from the theater, half way between our home and the academy. She was knocked out, bleeding on the snow, staining it red. It looked as if she had been beaten and probably even stabbed. I rushed to her side, feeling her neck for a pulse. She was still alive and still breathing, but she needed help.
“Maarika, Maarika wake up. Stay with me.”
She wouldn’t wake up. I couldn’t believe that no one helped her, that there was no one around when this happened. Why wouldn’t people help someone in danger, it made no sense.
“Someone, please! Call an ambulance! Someone please help!”
There was no answer. The night was silent and I had to find a way to get help.
“Someone, please! Just help us!”
I would like to say thank you to all of my readers out there for supporting me and reading my books. A big thank you to Desiree for all the amazing covers she does for me for this series, and many of my other stories. Another thank you to Marcy for her formatting expertise. A special thank you to my writing group that always pushes me forward and to my husband who has been by my side through the entire process of becoming an author.
Dani Hoots is a graduate from Arizona State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Anthropology and Masters of Urban and Environmental Planning who loves anything with a story. In her spare time she volunteers at the library, cooks, studies cultures and languages, wire walks, studies herbal medicine, and tinkers with her violin and concertina. Currently she lives in Seattle with her husband and two cats.
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