Glittering Shadows Read Online Free Page A

clutch Thea’s hand tighter and run, as if he could outrun his fate.
    “The candy store is closed,” Thea commented. “Maybe all the shops are. It already feels like the war all over again.”
    Freddy followed her gaze to a tiny shop tucked ahead in the narrow street. Tiered towers of flower- and fruit-shaped marzipan in the windows, colored pink and green and orange, caught the eye
even from a distance.
    He veered closer to the window, to peer in for just a moment. Thea followed easily, their shared touch adding a new element to conversation.
    “Come on!” Nan said. “What are you two doing? We don’t have time!”
    Where one man had been behind them, now there were two. They were picking up their pace—and looking at Freddy. He instinctively clutched his hat, although his silver hair was hidden.
    “You three,
run
,” Nan said, her voice tense. “I’ll distract them.”
    The men each took out a gun.
    Freddy cursed and put a protective arm around Thea. They wouldn’t hurt him when they needed his magic, but they could hurt anyone around him.
    “Stop!” one of the men shouted. “We don’t want to harm you.” He was the shorter of the two, their appearance otherwise concealed under coats, hats, and scarves.
    “Wait—I know you,” said the taller one, whose dark brows were furrowed in concentration under the brim of his hat. He was looking at Sigi. “You’re one of the
workers! Why aren’t you dead?”
    Sigi stiffened. “I certainly was not!” Her upper-class accent grew more pronounced.
    He looked at her feet. “How about those worker-issue boots, then?”
    “Who are you?” Sigi demanded.
    “I was one of the guards underground.”
    “You work for the Chancellor?” Nan asked, stepping forward, putting Sigi behind her.
    “No, I was spying for the revolution. We are with the Hands of the White Tree.” He motioned to his companion. “I’m Max and this is Will. We have a safe place here in the
city where you can hide.”
    “If you’re here to help us, why were you shadowing us down the alley?” Freddy asked.
    “We wanted to make sure it was you,” Will said. “And—we weren’t sure if you’d trust us.”
    “Good call there. I don’t trust you,” Freddy said. “I already told one of your men I want to be left alone.”
    “That wasn’t one of
our
men,” Will said. “Probably someone from one of the other revolutionary factions. Sebastian doesn’t want you to work for him. He just
wants to make sure you’re safe.”
    “Who is Sebastian?” Freddy asked. “And why should I trust him?”
    “Sebastian,” Nan repeated. “I’ve seen some of his tracts.”
    “The name sounds familiar.” Sigi’s nose scrunched thoughtfully. “He’s young, isn’t he? I think my mother mentioned him.”
    “He’s our leader, and he’s an Irminauer. So are we.” Will looked at Freddy and held a hand out slightly, as if offering the kinship of shared rustic heritage.
    But plenty of Freddy’s enemies were Irminauer.
    “He’s young but he knows what he’s doing,” Max said. “You must realize your magic is too important for you to be wandering around. Come with us, for your own
good.”
    “For my own good,” Freddy scoffed. “That’s what they all say.” But it was dangerous for him to be out. It would take just one wrong person glimpsing his silver
hair. Should he trust them? Could he?
    The men glanced at each other briefly.
    Then Max shot Freddy.

A fter fumbling with the clasp of Thea’s purse, Nan had the gun in her hands.
    “Stop right there,” she warned, “or I’ll shoot back.”
    Freddy staggered behind Nan.
    “Are you all right?” Thea asked Freddy.
    “It hit me.” He sounded bewildered, and now Nan glanced back to see him pulling up the leg of his pants. A bruise was already darkening, but a gunshot should leave more than a
bruise.
    “It
did
hit me,” he insisted.
    Sigi picked up something small off the ground. “Here’s the bullet.”
    “There must