Read Online The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Victoria Schwab
Ads: Link
not the whole truth. Because I loved the little boy you were, and now you’re growing up to be something else.
“I’ve always been your friend, Lexi. That will never change. Why can’t we be more?”
I take a deep breath. The wild grass rolls away from me toward Near.
“Do you remember,” I say over the growing wind, “when we were little, and we used to play those games, the spinning games?”
“Of course I remember. I always won.”
“You always let go . You let go when you thought it would be funny, and the circle broke apart, and everyone fell down except you.”
“It was just a game.”
“But everything’s a game to you, Tyler.” I sigh. “All of it. And it’s not about skinned knees anymore. You just want to win.”
“I want to be with you.”
“Then be with me as a friend,” I say. “And help me find Edgar.”
Tyler looks back at the house, the silhouette of my uncle in the window as he washes his hands. When Tyler turns back to me, he’s smiling again, a thinner version of his usual grin.
“No one will ever be good enough for you, Lexi Harris.”
I smile back. “Maybe one day—”
“When the moon shines—” he says.
“In the grass green sky,” I finish. A line my father used to say. Tyler walked around for days repeating it. And for a moment we’re just two kids again in a spinning game or a field of heather, grinning until our faces hurt.
Then the wind bristles. The last bit of light is bleeding away, replaced by a rich blue darkness. I fight off a shiver, and Tyler slides out of his coat, but I shake my head. He seems caught between actions, so he just lets the coat hang there in his hand, both of us suffering.
“Now it’s your turn to talk,” I say, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
“I do love talking,” he says, “but Otto’s going to have my head for telling you this, Lexi.”
“When has that ever stopped you?”
His smile fades as he slides his coat back on, squares his shoulders, and holds his head up in an almost perfect imitation of my uncle. “We went with Edgar’s father, Mr. Drake, to his house. Edgar’s bedroom was untouched. The window was open, but that was all. Like he just got up and left. Climbed through.” My mind flashes to Wren walking in her daze to the window, trying to slide it open.
“His mother said she tucked him in last night. She said she didn’t hear anything strange.”
“Edgar’s afraid of everything. He wouldn’t just leave.”
Tyler shrugs. “All we know is there was no struggle, and the window was open. We headed west, into those fields by their house, all the way to the edge of the village.”
So they took my advice, after all.
“We looked everywhere, Lexi.”
Everywhere in Near, I think.
Tyler sighs, and I can’t help but think he’s almost handsome without the egotistical smile.
“Everywhere. There’s not a single trace of him. How does that happen?” He frowns, kicking at a stray pebble. “I mean, everyone leaves marks, right?” He shakes his head, straightening. “Otto thinks it’s that stranger. Makes sense, if you think about it.”
“Do you have any evidence?” I ask, careful to sound neutral. “Do you even know where he is?”
Tyler nods. “Got a good idea. Only so many places a person can hide in Near, Lexi. If he’s still here.”
I hope he is. The thought slips in, and I’m suddenly thankful for the thickening dark.
“What happens now?” I ask.
“Lexi!” a heavy voice calls from the door. I turn to see Otto waiting, outlined against the light from inside. Tyler gestures toward the house, his hand coming to rest against my back, urging me toward the door. Otto fades back inside.
“Now,” Tyler says quietly, “we get the witches to give up the stranger.” His nose wrinkles when he says witches .
“Assuming he’s still here,” I say as we reach the door. “And assuming the sisters have him, and assuming Dreska doesn’t curse you for making that face. That’s
“I’ve always been your friend, Lexi. That will never change. Why can’t we be more?”
I take a deep breath. The wild grass rolls away from me toward Near.
“Do you remember,” I say over the growing wind, “when we were little, and we used to play those games, the spinning games?”
“Of course I remember. I always won.”
“You always let go . You let go when you thought it would be funny, and the circle broke apart, and everyone fell down except you.”
“It was just a game.”
“But everything’s a game to you, Tyler.” I sigh. “All of it. And it’s not about skinned knees anymore. You just want to win.”
“I want to be with you.”
“Then be with me as a friend,” I say. “And help me find Edgar.”
Tyler looks back at the house, the silhouette of my uncle in the window as he washes his hands. When Tyler turns back to me, he’s smiling again, a thinner version of his usual grin.
“No one will ever be good enough for you, Lexi Harris.”
I smile back. “Maybe one day—”
“When the moon shines—” he says.
“In the grass green sky,” I finish. A line my father used to say. Tyler walked around for days repeating it. And for a moment we’re just two kids again in a spinning game or a field of heather, grinning until our faces hurt.
Then the wind bristles. The last bit of light is bleeding away, replaced by a rich blue darkness. I fight off a shiver, and Tyler slides out of his coat, but I shake my head. He seems caught between actions, so he just lets the coat hang there in his hand, both of us suffering.
“Now it’s your turn to talk,” I say, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
“I do love talking,” he says, “but Otto’s going to have my head for telling you this, Lexi.”
“When has that ever stopped you?”
His smile fades as he slides his coat back on, squares his shoulders, and holds his head up in an almost perfect imitation of my uncle. “We went with Edgar’s father, Mr. Drake, to his house. Edgar’s bedroom was untouched. The window was open, but that was all. Like he just got up and left. Climbed through.” My mind flashes to Wren walking in her daze to the window, trying to slide it open.
“His mother said she tucked him in last night. She said she didn’t hear anything strange.”
“Edgar’s afraid of everything. He wouldn’t just leave.”
Tyler shrugs. “All we know is there was no struggle, and the window was open. We headed west, into those fields by their house, all the way to the edge of the village.”
So they took my advice, after all.
“We looked everywhere, Lexi.”
Everywhere in Near, I think.
Tyler sighs, and I can’t help but think he’s almost handsome without the egotistical smile.
“Everywhere. There’s not a single trace of him. How does that happen?” He frowns, kicking at a stray pebble. “I mean, everyone leaves marks, right?” He shakes his head, straightening. “Otto thinks it’s that stranger. Makes sense, if you think about it.”
“Do you have any evidence?” I ask, careful to sound neutral. “Do you even know where he is?”
Tyler nods. “Got a good idea. Only so many places a person can hide in Near, Lexi. If he’s still here.”
I hope he is. The thought slips in, and I’m suddenly thankful for the thickening dark.
“What happens now?” I ask.
“Lexi!” a heavy voice calls from the door. I turn to see Otto waiting, outlined against the light from inside. Tyler gestures toward the house, his hand coming to rest against my back, urging me toward the door. Otto fades back inside.
“Now,” Tyler says quietly, “we get the witches to give up the stranger.” His nose wrinkles when he says witches .
“Assuming he’s still here,” I say as we reach the door. “And assuming the sisters have him, and assuming Dreska doesn’t curse you for making that face. That’s
Similar Books
