Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller Read Free Book Online Page B

of the Princess’s face. Her eyes bulged, her nostrils flared, and her mouth stretched into a mean smirk.
    â€œYou’re dead, squid girl,” she mouthed silently.
    Against my better judgment, I threw up on the principal’s shoes.
    â€¢ • •
    I could have spared everyone a lot of trouble if I had chosen to rat on Kiki Strike. The Princess’s mother was outraged that a common criminal was mingling with the heiresses at the Atalanta School. At her insistence, other lockers and backpacks were ransacked, with those of the scholarship girls particularly scrutinized. A locksmith’s daughter was treated to an Inquisition-style grilling, and for days, everyone’s eyes were on everyone else’s hands. Throughout it all, I kept quiet, telling myself that a snitch is worse than a thief. But deep down inside, I simply hated the Princess too much to help her.
    After a thorough search of my belongings failed to uncover the ring, I thought The Five might leave me alone. They didn’t, of course. They stalked me for days, waiting patiently for the right moment to attack. No matter where I went, the Princess or one of her friends was always close by. They lingered in the library, whispering “squid girl” from behind outdated copies of
Lucky
magazine. As I navigated the hallways between classes, they followed in full formation, cackling cruelly if I happened to trip or drop a book. Eventually, I could barely pay avisit to the restroom without being escorted by half the ninth grade.
    On April 1, Sidonia finally made her move. Aside from the rotten squid I had discovered hanging in my locker that morning, it had been a relatively peaceful school day. When the last bell rang, I slowly gathered my things, giving the other girls plenty of time to clear the building. By the time I closed my locker and started for the exit, the halls were eerily empty.
    I stepped outside, into the courtyard, and discovered where everyone had gone. They were all there, waiting for me, and at the head of the crowd stood The Five, dressed to the nines and ready for battle. The Princess stepped forward, her most glorious teacher-dazzling smile displayed in all its splendor.
    â€œWell,
there
you are, squid girl!” she exclaimed in fraudulent friendliness as she linked her arm with mine and leaned in close. Her breath smelled of violets and toothpaste. “We’ve been looking all over for you!” I tried to break free, but she tightened her grip on my arm and with almost superhuman strength turned me to face the crowd. “We thought you might be busy stealing someone else’s jewelry. You know, a little something special to go with that stunning outfit you’ve got on. Let me guess. Last season’s Goodwill? Or did you have to mug a homeless person for it?”
    She paused as if expecting an answer, and I desperately wanted to respond. I searched for something witty to say, but with so many eyes trained in my direction, my brain was barren. Instead, I stood there mutely. It wasn’t my finest moment.
    â€œOh well,” the Princess continued. “Keep your fashion secrets to yourself. Listen, there’s something we want to talk to you about. We’ve been keeping an eye on you lately, and well, we think you’re damaging our school’s reputation. I mean,
really,
squid girl, when are you going to go on a diet? Don’t you know that fatties like you make the rest of us look bad?”
    As Sidonia hurled her best insults at me, I noticed Kiki Strike standing at the edge of the crowd. It was the first time I had seen her in days. Unlike the other girls, who appeared riveted by the spectacle—some watching with amusement, others in sheer horror—Kiki paid no attention as she calmly jotted something down in her little black notebook. She glanced up at me briefly as she ripped the page out and folded it neatly. I saw Kiki hand the note to one of The Five, whisper in her