Read Online Dorothy Must Die Novella #7 by Danielle Paige - Free Book Online

problem? We take out Dorothy.” She made a slashing motion with one hand. “End of problem.”
    â€œWhat if there’s another problem after Dorothy?” Lanadel asked.
    Melindra shrugged. “Well, then we’re probably screwed.” She grinned again, and Lanadel started to laugh once more. It was impossible to stay focused on her problems when Melindra was around. Melindra was right. Action was way better thansitting around. Who cared if there was some secret Lanadel she’d hidden away inside? She was almost ready to learn magic. She was already learning to fight. Nox and Mombi couldn’t keep her in these caves forever.
    And when they sent her out to do the job they were teaching her—well, she wasn’t going to run away from any of Dorothy’s soldiers, that much she knew for sure.

SIX
    â€œWhat is their deal ?” she asked Melindra one night after dinner.
    â€œWhose deal?” Melindra asked, distracted. Nox had been noticeably absent from the dining hall. Melindra had ignored the empty seat at the table, but the melancholy note was back in her voice, and she’d been a million miles away all through their meal.
    â€œHolly and Larkin. Why do they hate me?” Even though Lanadel had been improving in her training in the last few weeks, they continued to treat her as if she was completely incompetent.
    â€œOh, them ,” Melindra said with a snort. “You can’t take them personally. I think they hate everyone, to be honest.”
    â€œThey don’t hate you,” Lanadel pointed out.
    â€œSure they do. They’re just scared of me,” Melindra said.
    â€œOh.”
    Melindra realized she’d hurt Lanadel’s feelings, and softened. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it like the way it came out. I’ve kicked boththeir asses more than once in training, and they know if they mess with me, I’ll beat the crap out of them somewhere Nox and Mombi can’t find us. That was your only mistake—doing it in front of Mombi. She doesn’t go for us fighting among ourselves, even if it’s impossible to resist half the time. Holly was trying to get you to hit her in front of the grown-ups,” Melindra added with a laugh. “She thinks getting people in trouble is fun. And Larkin’s her little lapdog. But don’t mind them, really. They’re just—well, they’re orphans, too, you know. But if you’re a brat before your parents die, losing your family doesn’t necessarily turn you into a ray of sunshine. Larkin was studying to be some kind of fancy-pants warlock, and thinks he’s Lurline’s gift to the universe. Holly’s family was some kind of Munchkin royalty.” Lanadel remembered what Holly had said in the training cave. Right before Lanadel had almost succeeded in beating the crap out of her. That was a happy memory.
    â€œI didn’t know the Munchkins had royalty.”
    â€œThey have dynasties, or something,” Melindra said, waving a hand. “Important bloodlines. Whatever, she thinks she’s important. It was a shock for both of them to turn up here and realize they had to learn just like everyone else—and fight next to dirty commoners like us.” She snorted. “They tried all that stuff with me, too. Nox doesn’t even notice. His head’s so far up his—” She stopped short.
    â€œIs something going on with you and Nox?”
    Melindra rolled her eyes. “There is no me and Nox. He’s a selfish little toad, that’s all. I’m totally done with him.” But forthe first time since Lanadel had met the wiry, irrepressible warrior, something in Melindra’s voice rang false, and her eyes were sad. She cared about Nox, Lanadel realized. Cared a lot. But she didn’t want anyone to see it. She’d built her whole image around being tough and impossible to defeat.
    It was like everyone in the Order had created another