Into Thin Air

Chapter 16

Penelope stepped around the flow of people coming into the school, trying to fight the current of proud parents and wide-eyed contestants. She finally made it outside just in time for Josie to breeze past her.
"Hey, wait!" Penelope grasped at her sleeve. "I was just coming to sign in with you."
"Oh, I'll be right back," Josie assured her cheerfully. "Just wait for me outside."
Josie hurried up the stairs, past her floor and up to Hope's. She'd watched her casually, bided her time until Hope signed in and took off to the Old Mill for her chore assignment. Josie knew she wouldn't be back for a while. 
She muttered an unlocking charm after checking to make sure the halls were clear - of humans and of loose-lipped supernaturals. 
A frustrated grunt echoed off the walls when the doorknob stayed in place despite her charm. Josie's face twisted up as she thought. It was to be expected that Hope would put an anti-unlocking charm spell on her doorknob, Josie thought. But she was a siphoner and with the protection spell gone, her charm worked perfectly.
Josie closed the door behind her, grabbed Hope's dress from where it hung proudly by her mirror, and tossed it in the middle of the floor.
"Incendia."
The silky fabric went up in flames. Josie scrunched her nose at the awful smell, and as soon as the dress was singed beyond repair, Josie put out the fire and hung it back up, a smile spreading across her face. There was no way Hope could beat her now without her dress.
Josie was hurrying down the stairs, having already thrown a messy protection spell to replace the one she'd siphoned, by the time the smoke smell reached the hallway.
"Where were you?" Penelope asked as Josie appeared next to her, buzzing with energy.
"Bathroom."
"Doing what? You smell like a bonfire."
Josie scoffed at her girlfriend. "Do you want to sign up or not?"