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"So there’s this dance and this boy I really want to go but I’m scared of ill happen Do you think you can help et Please"

Mina waited as if for a response, but the wind chose that moment to pick up and swirl fallen leaves around the rooftop retreat like mini tornadoes She dropped the notebook and the wind blew the pages closed Mina felt the hairline crackle of power crawl over her ar was near

"I take it that was a no," a masculine voice spoke behind her

Mina turned and grabbed the Gri it to her chest protectively, until she saw that it was Jared on the other side of the roof

"What are you doing here?" Mina snapped

"I’ht you had decided to run away You certainly see her to ad up a brick wall

"I know that I can’t run forever, but I thought I could at least get away from you But even that seean to pick up her jacket and fold it over her arm She didn’t hear Jaredher wrist, holding it up to the waning light so he could see a faint outline of bruising He lightly rubbed the bruises with his thumbs

Mina’s eyes widened and she jerked her hands out of his in surprise A caress fro she would have expected His eyes turned dark, his expression unreadable Mina found herself rubbing her orists, whether to rub his touch away or soothe the pain, she wasn’t sure

"You can’t run anymore It’s too late" Jared turned his back on her and looked out over the roofs of the international district, his dark hair blowing slightly in the wind "It was almost past the point of no return, once you stepped into the Babushka’s Bakery The power compelled you to enter the tale and act It placed you in the position and you chose It’s too late for you, Wilhelhter of Wilhel to need my help"

Chapter 18

Mina felt as if she was going to faint "Why are you here, really?" Jared was really starting to scare her "What part do you play in this?"

Jared looked at her and she could have sworn that his skin glowed golden for one split second But after she blinked her eyes, she decided it was just an illusion fro both of thelow

He closed his eyes as if he was soaking up the sun and took a deep breath as if it was his first, or his last "I am a part of this as hed and looked at her "Everything else has a time and a place but it is not now, not yet"

Mina couldn’t understand the change in his speech, why he was suddenly speaking in riddles She shook her head as if to clear her thinking and re to? The notebook only shows the bull and the stag"

Jared walked away froe of the roof, she had no choice but to chase after him if she wanted an answer

"Hansel and Gretel"

"But wait, how?" Mina thought back through the day "The bakery was the gingerbread house?"

Jared snorted, "Obviously"

"But there wasn’t an old witch No one was imprisoned"

"There wasn’t? Are you positive? Think again, no one was held captive?" Jared’s e and he actually looked at Mina in surprise

"Well, no, ere all free to walk around The boys did see, but…" Mina’s eyes lit up with elation "Wait, that’s it The tour guide didn’t capture anyone but she did captivate the boys’ attention, and then seemed to settle for Brody in the end He was the only one she really cared But she wasn’t a horrible old wo to eat any of the students like in the story, right?"