Wicked: The Witch's Daughter #53

Instructions

Glinda's POV: I was sitting in the palace garden when I heard a familiar voice. “Glinda!” I looked up and saw Pip hurrying toward me, with Nutmeg and the fox close behind him. My heart immediately jumped. “Did you find her?” I asked, standing quickly. Pip nodded and held out a folded piece of paper. “Kendra sent you this.” For a moment, I simply stared at the letter. Kendra had written to me. She was alive. She was safe enough to send a message. I carefully took the paper from Pip, my hands trembling slightly as I unfolded it. I read the words quickly, then read them again more slowly. Kendra told me not to worry about her. She was safe, she had found somewhere to stay, and she was taking care of herself. She didn't tell me exactly where she was, but she wanted me to know that she was all right. Then I reached the final part of the letter. She promised that everything would be back to normal, and even better, in only a few hours. I lowered the letter slowly. “A few hours?” I repeated. Pip nodded. “That's what she said.” I couldn't help smiling. Relief washed over me so suddenly that I nearly laughed. For months, I had wondered whether Kendra was frightened, hungry, lonely, or in danger. Now I knew she was alive, she was safe, and she had a plan. But the last part of her message worried me a little. Kendra had been learning magic. She had been on her own for months, with only the Grimmerie and whatever she had learned from Elphaba before they were separated. I knew how powerful magic could be, and I knew Kendra was still learning how to control it. “Did she tell you what she was planning?” I asked. The animals shook their heads. “She wouldn't say,” Nutmeg replied. I looked down at the letter again. I knew Kendra well enough to understand what she was trying to tell me. She didn't want me to come looking for her. She didn't want anyone following her. She wanted to handle whatever she was planning herself. Part of me wanted to respect that. Another part of me wanted to find her immediately and make sure she wasn't putting herself in danger. But she had sent me a message, and that mattered. She had chosen to tell me she was okay. I folded the letter carefully and held it against my chest for a moment. “Thank you,” I said to Pip, Nutmeg, and the fox. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” Pip smiled. “Kendra wanted you to stop worrying.” I laughed softly. “I'm afraid that's going to be difficult.” I looked toward the Emerald Palace. Somewhere inside those walls, Elphaba and Fiyero were still prisoners. I couldn't help wondering whether Kendra's mysterious plan had something to do with them. The timing was too much of a coincidence. She had been missing for months, and now, suddenly, she was telling me that everything would be better in a few hours. Whatever she was planning, she believed she could change things. I hoped she was right. “She's coming back, isn't she?” Nutmeg asked. I looked at the little squirrel and smiled. “I think she's trying to.” I tucked the letter safely away. For the first time in months, I felt something I hadn't allowed myself to feel in a very long time. Hope. Kendra was out there. She was safe. And she had a plan. I didn't know what that plan was, but I trusted her. Now all I could do was wait and see what the next few hours would bring.