ELLA

“Where is Beatrice?” I ask aloud and Cassie stops.

The guard charging ahead pauses too and turns, a question written across both their faces.

The world stops, too, for me at least. “Did anyone see where she went?”

“She was with you,” Cassie responds casually, unbothered as though the end of the world hasn’t just begun manifesting. “What happened?”

“What happened?” I echo, my eyes frantically searching from wall to wall to catch a glimpse of the bright little ...