The upbeat tomboy approached as silently as she slipped out of classes, sneaking behind Bridgette, who still browsed the ground for an answer.

  Erika had a strange habit of doing that. She would quietly disappear and reappear in the middle of classes, fleeting as the mist in the woods. There was no guarantee where she would reappear, or if she would even return to Hildebrand’s side.

  “Bridgette!” she shouted. Erika gave Bridgette a smack on the behind, prompting a shocked yelp from the eyebrow monster.

  "Who—!" The moment Bridgette laid eyes on Erika, her face brightened. She raised her head and straightened her spine, like a flower basking in the sun after a storm. “Erika!” she said. “Hi!” Even her harsh and demanding voice became sweet like honey.

  “You know her?” Hildebrand asked Erika.

  Erika nodded. “We both work on the farm.” Erika patted Bridgette’s shoulder and hung off of it. “She does all the work!”

  Bridgette laughed slowly. “Yes. I suppose so. Since someone always falls asleep in the hay.” Bridgette’s eyes shifted to Hildebrand. “I didn’t know you two were acquainted,” she said. “You’re nothing alike.”

  “Hilde’s my friend,” Erika announced. “And Dolph too.” She swirled her finger at Hugo and then Greg. “I know them too. I guess.”

  “Oh,” Bridgette murmured.

  “I didn’t know you were friends with Hilde,” Erika said, rubbing Bridgette’s shoulders. “I hope you’re getting along!”

  Bridgette had no answer.

  Erika’s usual grazing, bright-eyed stare—always distant, as if nothing ever demanded her attention—now shone like spotlights on Bridgette, who shied away.

  “You are getting along, right?” Erika asked.

  “We were having a disagreement,” Hildebrand said.

  “Hmm?” Erika hummed. “What about?” Erika asked in her usual chirpy tune. “What’s the problem?”

  “She insulted me,” Bridgette declared. She was bolder than before. “I just wanted an apology, but she refuses.”

  Erika placed her hands on cocked hips, standing like a disappointed parent. And she sighed a long and tired sigh. “Is that all?” she asked. “Hilde,” she said in a sing-songy tune. “Can’t you just apologize?”

  “No,” Hildebrand said flatly.

  Erika’s pleasant smile parted, showing a sliver of teeth. And her brows slowly wrinkled. “Huh,” Erika murmured. “Alright then.”

  “I never insulted her,” Hildebrand said. “I merely said her eyebrows were big.”

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  “That warrants an apology!” Bridgette said. She touched Erika’s arm. “Doesn’t it?”

  It was a simple observation,” Hildebrand said. She nudged Dolph. “Right?”

  Hugo answered in his stead. “Hilde’s telling the truth,” he said. “I was there.” But when Erika didn’t look convinced by his testimony, he looked to Greg, who simply shrugged.

  “Probably?” he shouted, from where Hugo had left him.

  Still unsatisfied, Hugo tapped Dolph, and when he didn’t respond, elbowed him.

  Dolph finally snapped out of his daze. “Huh? Yeah, whatever you say.”

  Hildebrand smiled smugly at Bridgette’s growing frustration. “She challenged me to a duel over it,” Hildebrand said. “So childish.” Those made Bridgette’s face contort. With anger. With surprise. With pain, for some reason.

  “That’s not unreasonable!” Bridgette shouted. Bridgette turned to Erika, gripping her arm. “Right?”

  Erika’s measured smile faded. And she brushed Bridgette’s hand off. “That’s too much,” she said. Her voice had lost its chirpy pitch. It was deeper and lower. It was more commanding and more mature, more natural, than Hildebrand expected. “You’re being unreasonable,” Erika said.

  She walked over to Hildebrand’s side and stiffly raised her arm like it was a shield. Maybe Bridgette had hoped Erika would defend her, or just mediate. But everyone was on Hildebrand’s side now.

  “Duels are dangerous,” Erika said. “They’re not for playing around. Or resolving childish differences about your eyebrows.”

  “I know that! But—”

  Erika shook her head, quieting Bridgette down. “Your eyebrows are pretty big,” she said, in that matter-of-factly tone she used. “Even I think that,” Erika said. “Are you going to challenge me, too?”

  Bridgette touched her eyebrows, like she was holding them up while the rest of her face melted. “No, I wouldn’t,” she said in a trembling voice.

  “Then you should let it go,” Erika said.

  “Yes…” Bridgette murmured. “You’re right.”

  She stood with spine stiff as steel. But the rest of her looked like she was melting slowly to the ground. The corners of her lips, her eyes, and even her ears drooped. Her shoulders slumped with utter defeat.

  Bridgette didn’t bother to look up at Hildebrand. Instead, she turned away from everyone. They couldn’t see eye-to-eye.

  The bell struck at the perfect moment, drowning out Bridgette’s muddy words. But Hildebrand could hear them. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ll leave you all alone.”

  Hildebrand glanced at Erika, who glanced back with eyes glazed over.

  “Don’t worry,” Erika said.

  Hildebrand touched her own face. Had her eyes been filled with worry? For that eyebrow monster?

  Erika gave a less than reassuring rub on Hildebrand’s shoulder. “She’s a strong person. If anything, she’s too headstrong.” Maybe that was true. “She’ll be fine.” That wasn’t.

  “Erika’s right,” Hugo said. “Don’t worry about her.” His eyes were filled with concern, but only for Hildebrand. And Greg, still standing where Hugo had left him, agreed, nodding from afar.

  Even Dolph’s beady blue eyes were focused on Hildebrand.

  All eyes were on her, except her own. Hildebrand couldn’t help but stare at the lonely sight of Bridgette shuffling away by herself.

  The other students passed her by while she dragged her feet. Not a single person turned their heads, not even the slightest bit curious about her. Not that Hildebrand could blame them. She understood why Bridgette was alone.

  The girl was a nuisance. She was stubborn. She was loud and annoying. And violent. She didn’t know her place.

  Even the mere sight of her, disappearing through the dark double doors, all by herself. It was unsightly.

  It was like looking a mirror.

  “I don’t think she’ll bother you again,” Erika said. “As long as you leave her alone.”

  Hildebrand knew now why Bridgette became a monster, cult or not. Old Man Ren’s words rang in her mind, drowning out the fading tolls of the bell. It wasn’t good to be alone.

  Erika and Hugo and Greg went on ahead, turning worried glances back at Hildebrand, urging her to hurry to lunch. But she nodded them off. Only Dolph lingered behind.

  “If it makes you feel any better,” he said. “She’ll be gone soon.”

  Ah. Dolph’s strangely ominous words were a reminder. There was a time limit to save that pitiful soul.