To Prevent Clear Paths Read online

  Florence stared at her in incomprehension.

  “Join me in being a villain,” Kendra said. “Join my new team. Join me in saving the world.”

  Florence’s eyes widened and widened.

  An unfathomable chasm seemed to stretch between them. A chasm filled with all that had been, all that ever could have been, all that never would be.

  Florence took a step backwards. “Dad’s always taught me that right and wrong . . .”

  A spark of flame appeared at her wrist, and then spread into a swirl of fire going past her elbow. It had never done that before, but she barely spared a thought for it.

  “. . . are more important than friendship.”

  She had made the wrong decision with Lute Deathwave. She would not make the same mistake with Kendra.

  Now wearing her focus item, Florence lifted her arms high. “Pink Dragon . . . flare!”

  She whooshed up to the ceiling, spinning around at a fast rate, flames burning away her clothing as her dozens of braids expanded and coiled into corkscrew curls at the bottom. Enormous bat wings burst from her back as the flames blossomed outward into a fluffy pink dress, a style that she had been in love with at twelve years old.

  She landed, flames roaring around her. Then swirled and sucked into her bracelet like a vortex.

  “I’m trying to save the world, Flo,” Kendra sighed, leaning forward. “What part of that don’t you understand?”

  “What part?!” Florence sputtered. “What part does make sense? You know what villains are like, Kendra!”

  “Of course I know what villains are like,” Kendra said. There was a strange gleam in her eyes. “What I didn’t understand was what magical girls are like. I didn’t understand that we weren’t all virtuous.”

  Well, duh! Florence thought. I’ve been trying to tell you that for years! Just because somebody has magical girl powers doesn’t mean they’re automatically perfect! You have to use good judgment apart from that!

  “That’s why I have to be a villain,” Kendra said. The gleam was back in her eyes. “I have to purify the magic system. I have to cut out anyone who’s corrupt.”

  “You have to not be a villain!” Florence shouted. “Are you listening to yourself? You sound nuts!”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Kendra said, shaking her head. “Any cost is worth it to save the world. That’s what I’m doing.”

  “By becoming a villain?” Florence snapped incredulously. She swung her bracelet around to face Kendra. The bracelet that could turn her breath into a stream of fire, ice, or poison as soon as she wished it.

  Kendra let out a snort. “All right. I’ll leave. I’m sorry I came.”

  Showing no fear whatsoever, she lifted up the blinds behind the bed and unlocked the window.

  “But . . . your parents,” Florence said, pulling her arm back. “Felicity?”

  “No way,” Kendra said, rolling her eyes. “If you don’t understand, there’s no chance they will.”

  Florence shoved her left arm out, turning her wrist to the right so that the blue gem that created ice was on top. “I’ll breathe ice at you!” she threatened. “I’ll make you stay and face them!”

  Kendra paid no attention. She just hopped down to the floor, picked up the duffel bag, and heaved it through the window.

  “I will!” Florence cried.

  “Just ice?” Kendra asked sardonically, sitting on the edge of the window to hop out. “Why don’t you breathe fire or poison, while you’re at it? I’m a villain. The law justifies killing me.”

  Florence cringed. Of course she wasn’t going to kill Kendra. She knew perfectly well that ice was safe. They’d used it on dozens of minions to turn them in to the police.

  That was exactly what she should do.

  But she didn’t move.

  Somehow, even if Kendra was betraying her . . . she couldn’t bring herself to betray Kendra. Using her magic on her best friend and former teammate would feel like a betrayal.

  Turn the other cheek, Florence thought slowly, pulling her arm back in. Return good for evil.

  “Pulling back?” Kendra taunted. “Don’t you know I’m a dangerous criminal?”

  Florence swallowed. “But . . . then . . . why don’t you attack me?”

  Kendra stared at her, disbelievingly. “Duh. You’re my best friend. You’ll never be my enemy.”

  Fire roared around Florence as she detransformed. Her bat wings slurped back into her back, and her fluffy pink dress dissolved into smoke that coiled back into her former clothes.

  “Go,” Florence said quietly. “I won’t attack you, either.”

  “Thanks,” Kendra said. “I hope we’ll be on the same side again someday.”

  She swung her legs through the open window and dropped to the ground.

  Florence ran to the window to watch which way Kendra was heading, but all she caught was a few traces of sparkles as they faded.

  Teleportation, Florence realized. Like she did before. How did Kendra get that power?

  Perhaps she’d never know. Because this might be the last conversation they’d ever have.

  “Yeah,” Florence said quietly. “Me, too.”

  Next Book:

  Kendra has her first assignment: to stop a bully at a school for magical girls. But she underestimates the language barrier, she overestimates her own competence at villainy, and she’s not used to fighting without magic.

  So attacking an entire school of magical girls may not be the wisest thing she’s ever done.

  Especially since a villainous fashion designer is watching.

  You can get it here.

  Lisette was expecting to be a werehawk. Now she’s a werevulture.

  Sure, she can still fly, but the garbage looks delicious. And everyone’s afraid of her! Okay, everyone’s afraid of her best friend, too, but her best friend chose to be a banshee.

  Then the mysterious Rarity Clan invites her to join. They offer her friendship, and the ultimate secret: how to be turned a second time so that she could choose a different species instead. She could be a werehawk, or a vampire, specter, giant, lorelei, or whatever else she pleases. There’s only one catch, and it’s a big one.

  The tool that’s used to do that is a weapon that could destroy the entire city.

  You can get it here.

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