Chapter 1: Wit and Quick Thinking

My POV

I wander around, pulling on my itchy uniform and talking to my girls. We sense the bells about to go and start to stalk up to our lockers, barely managing to not trip on our long winter skirts up the stairs. I pull my tie down a bit and force open the top button so I can actually breathe. That’s better.

“What’s first?”

My locker buddy asks. We share our lockers for school things; bags in my bottom one, books in her top one. I shrug and wrench open the door to peek at the timetable.

“Crap.”

I sigh.

“I have Dance then Maths with Sav. What you guys got?”

Kali leans out of her locker, looking annoyed.

“Fashion then Maths. Beth has Music then gets to join me for our fun-and-ever-so-exciting maths lesson!”

She shouts sarcastically. I laugh into my locker half. Savannah shoves her bag into my locker and stands up to take her stuff out from above me. I duck to avoid getting clocked with the laptop and handful of folders. I reach into my own half and delicately pull out my Dance and Maths equipment.

“Ow!”

“Sorry Sav. You need to shrink, you know.”

Savannah rubs the long scrape my folder corner left on her arm and yanks out the rest of her things. Being the tallest girl in our group has its problems. Kali giggles beside me with her head lost in her pile of school things. Savannah kicks her. Sadly, Beth decides to take this moment to lean out of her bottom locker and takes the shot to the shoulder. She glares at the tall girl next to me and I start backing away slowly.

“Watch it!”

Beth growls. Suddenly the annoying and ridiculously repetitive bell goes and I skip off to Dance with all the sarcasm in the world put into the bounces. I wave to the others and get flicked in the eyes by my long blonde hair.

“And it’s only morning tea!”

Kali groans as we set our stuff down at the table. I plonk my lunchbox down and scowl at the flap, tugging at my PE uniform that I wore to Dance class.

“Monster Morntie gave me and Sav extra work. What an ass.”

I take an angry bite of my sandwich. Savannah stomps to the bubbler and takes a long drink. I start a rampage and bang on the additional homework.

“This is so bogus! I mean, first weensy tap shoes and now this!”

Beth looks at me sympathetically and I scowl.

“Calm your farm, Liam. Least we have CE next so we can just draw stuff.”

I don’t sit down, but go to the bubbler myself. I think about taking my maths things and just letting the cold water run over it. Then I think about what Morntie’s face would be like if I did, and sigh with frustration.

My friends - Kali, Beth, Savannah and I - go to a prestigious all-girls orphanage school at the Sunshine Coast, Australia. I got tossed in this dump after my parents split to other ends of the world without me when I was a toddler. Feel the love. Kali came about the same time as me with Sav, already having a close friendship with each other. Beth came a few years later, when we were all about eight, and joined this group we now call the Quartet. We’re pretty much all B/A grade students in grade Nine, with no particular love for any of the teachers here. These guys are my family, because God knows what those dammed things called My Parents are up too.

I swing away from the bubbler and head back to the table with an angry gaze scanning the pavement for something to kick. I find a stone. My foot scuffs it angrily and it flies away fast. I huff, thinking of just walking off somewhere and skipping the rest of school. Suddenly I look up, realising I should have been able to hear my friends by now. I scan the table and my heart freezes and I swear the temperature drops about five degrees.

Six men in black suits and slim white ties are standing around the table, doing a great job at the stereotypical creepy-spy-guy posture. I stop and look around wildly for any of the girls. All I see is a dark van with blacked-out windows sitting in the cur-de-sac next to our lunch spot. One of the guys step forward and I thank my past self for having the foresight to not wear a tracksuit today. My joggers, sports-shorts and shirt are a lot easier to run in than the jacket and long pants.  I eye the sunglasses angrily and several men clear their throats.

“You be her?”

The first one asks with a Russian accent. I step backwards.

“When I figure out what you said, I’ll be sure to tell you.”

I retort, wondering why the hell no one else has even noticed these guys and the fact they’re terrorizing students. The man sighs impatiently.

“You be Liam Winters?”

He asks again, using my name this time. I’m about to yell my head off for help but his words make me stop.

“Who wants to know?”

I whisper guardedly. A little shiver goes through the men and another guy comes up.

“’S her, Tano. Cut the crap; we’re on a schedule.”

Adrenalin takes a short-cut through my heart and into my bloodstream and I sprint away at top speed, yelling. All six of them run after me and I’m halfway across the oval towards the school and other people when a heavy, muscled someone lands on my lower back. My breath leaves me but I try and get up to keep running all the same. I push upwards and wriggle until I’m almost out from under this giant man when another of them grabs my upper arms and pulls me into the air. A freezing wind starts blowing around us and it makes me feel stronger somehow. I kick at the guy holding me and the snap of a rib cracks the air. He goes down and I keep running awkwardly, still trying to get oxygen back into my body.

“Whas’ wrong with you! Get ‘er!”

More feet pound after me. This is the most terrifying day of school ever. I look back to see that all five the remaining spy-men bounding right on my heels. I try and run faster and I swear my feet leave the ground until something heavy and painful falls down onto my shoulders. I crumple down and feel something click. I gasp in air and three men hold me off the ground. One of them has his fingers laced around my throat. The lead man comes up and smacks him.

“Dey are not to be damaged!”

He yells and I don’t even get to feel relieved before I’m suddenly shoved into the back of the black van. The doors slam behind me and I barely get time to realise I’m lying on top of Kali, who’s groaning and covered in bruises, when gas sprays from the front of the boot and my eyes go to tunnel vision before they cover in darkness and I fall into panicked sleep.

Chapter 2: If This Isn’t an Evil Castle, I’m A Mouse

Kali’s POV

I wake up super slowly with some kind of weight sitting on top of me. I roll over painfully and hear a thump. My head snaps towards the sound and I see a very angry Liam managing to sit up as the van drives smoothly down a long, straight road. I look around in the semi-darkness to see that Beth and Savannah are here, and still asleep. Liam growls as her wrist gives out awkwardly while she leans on the side of the van’s walls. I crawl over to the closest wall and copy her in sitting up. We stare at each other.

“What the hell?”

Liam says, not bothering to be quiet.

“Four pupils just get kidnapped by six completely conspicuous muscle-men, get tossed in a van, and no one notices?!”

She fumes loudly. Suddenly a huge bang comes from the front and one of the men pull back a flap in the wall to look through.

“Quiet in dere.”

He says. Liam and I scowl.

“Uh, no!”

She shouts and I slam the metal base of the van with my foot just because it makes noise. The guy growls and disappears from the slit. We hear talking and then the lead guy, Tano, appears.

“Ranski tell you to hush?”

He asks, his deep voice filling the little space. I lean back again and hit the wall with my shoulder.

“Yup.”

I answer. Liam picks up from there.

“But like hell we’re gonna. I mean, your concerns aren’t high on my list right now.”

This seems to make Tano angry. His gaze moves from our faces for a second to somewhere below him. He presses a button and we hear the clicking sound it makes before more gas seeps from the nozzle next to me. I yelp and throw off my school jumper to cover the spray. Some little wisps curl out but other than that the gas is useless. Tano growls angrily and Liam shuffles along on her butt to move closer to him.

“Kidnappers, 0. Ninth Grade Schoolgirls, 1.”

Tano hits the side of the van so hard it rocks a bit on the road. Someone from the front yells inaudibly at him.

“We haff reason. You’re not vhat you sink.”

“Well, I think that I’m very, mightily, astronomically pissed and the second I get out of this van I’m gonna – “

Suddenly the temperature drops in the back of the mini-truck and Liam cuts off her threat. I notice Savannah convulsing violently from the cold on the floor.

“Sav, what the hell is wrong with you?”

I ask warily. But she doesn’t respond, just keeps shivering. Tano’s eyes widen slightly.

“Ees true.”

He whispers. Then he composes himself and promptly shuts the little door. I shove my jumper right up the gas nozzle as far as possible and let go, leaving the dark navy hanging there. Liam proceeds to bang her fists on the side of the boot, yelling intolerable things that aren’t going to be written here. Beth shuffles awkwardly next to me and groans as her eyes open dopily.

“Whaa…”

She moans and I push her onto her back. Liam starts kicking the wall where the little window-door is, only throwing one comment over her shoulder.

“Good to see your alive, Beth.”

Then she goes back to kicking. Beth mutters under her breath.

“We all knew you were.”

I laugh, then smother my giggles as Liam gives me a look. I leave my friends side and join the blond-haired girl at the van assault.

“This is the plan?”

I ask, feeling panic finally settle into my gut as I realise what a horrible position we’re in. Horrible being an understatement. Liam looks at me and I see some of the panic in her eyes before an emotionless mask settles over her face.

“Mmmhmm. Pretty foolproof, hu?”

I roll my eyes and slam the tin with my shoe. The temperature drops further. Beth shoots to her knees and yells.

“Turn the freaking air con down!”

I hardly feel the cold as I hammer away and Liam is prominently boiling.

“It’s hot in here, you numbskulls!”

She yells and Beth and I give her incredulous looks as it gets colder. I sit down lightly and wrap my school skirt around my goose-bumped knees. Liam keeps up her raid on the van front, sweat beading on her forehead. Suddenly Tano appears in the mini-door and is met with a freezing gust of air. Liam stops mid-punch.

“Finally! It’s boiling, you know!”

She yells. I curl into a tighter ball to conserve body heat and don’t bother pointing out the ice starting to creep along the inside of our space. Tano’s eyes are watering from the cold and he turns around to shout to the others men.

“Ees Winters!”

Liam, Beth and I exchange bewildered looks. I roll gently over to Savannah, who is thrashing around so violently from cold it’s painful to watch. As I get closer, I notice her blue lips and the pale, sticky pallor of her skin. I rub my hands up and down her arms to try and give her back some heat. It’s cold in here yes, but Sav is acting like she’s been dumped in the Arctic wearing nothing but her swimmers. I place a hand on Liam’s shoulders and instantly take it back. The girl is burning with freezing temperatures and a red welt starts on my palm. Suddenly a massive sliding-door opens in the wall where Tano was speaking through and someone’s arms reach around and grab Liam. I shout at them to stop as they drag my friend through the gap, getting blisters just like I did. Then the door slams behind her and a bang comes from next to us. A thump follows and indignant yells come from the right of us. Beth and I crawl over to where the noise is and recognise Liam’s voice.

“Li, you okay?!”

Beth shouts. Liam shuts up and we hear her shuffling over to the wall.

“No. These guys are getting on my nerves!”

Her voice ricochets around but I hear the panic in it.

“What was that about, anyway?”

She asks us as quietly as possible. I rub my blistering hand.

“The room was – still is – freezing. I touched your shoulder and I got an ice-burn. What is wrong with you?”

It’s not mean, I’m genuinely curious.

“And Savannah was having like, a seizure, because the room got kinda cold then when it got below 0, she got really bad.”

As Beth speaks, I intake breath and roll over to Sav, who’s still on the floor. I rub her arms some more and am surprised to feel a fast-growing heat emit from her skin. The longer I hold my hands there the more inhuman the heat feels until she’s practically glowing. I jump back as she suddenly sits up and rubs her eyes.

“I’m going to kill those guys.”

She mumbles, then realises my expression.

“What!? What’s going on in there?!”

Liam yells from the other cell. I look briefly over my shoulder then back at Savannah, who’s staring out for Liam.

“Li, where are you? “

An indignant huff comes from the wall.

“Jeez, let’s see.”

Comes the sarcastic reply.

Savannah looks at me with panic and confusion and I trot back over to where a really cold feeling is coming from the wall Liam is behind.

“What do you think is going on, Liam?”

I ask quietly. An extra freezing breeze comes back in reply.

“I have some kind of… something and it’s cold. That’s all I can even pick up.”

I lean away slowly and am suddenly thrown to the floor by a massive, jarring bump as the van stops. I clamber to my feet and rush to the two back doors where we’re probably going to get dumped out of. Savannah and Beth crawl over with me and I hear Liam not-so-subtly thump around wherever she is to whatever kind of door she can see. The back handles jerk sharply and the black doors swing open. I dash out, intending to run as fast as I can with the others, when a strong hand grabs my upper arm and pulls me out. I kick and punch but these guys are like solid concrete. More panic flares in my belly as Sav and Beth get yanked out as well. As soon as one of the men try to touch Savannah, they leap back with their palm-skin taught and already blistering. Another two of the men come up with gloves and firmly hold onto my friends boiling shoulders. This is just… don’t even know how to say it.

A massive bang comes from the right and I peek around the door to try and see where Liam is. And boy to do I see her.

The two guys, Tano and Ranski, have on ridiculously thick gloves and are wrestling with Liam to get her out of the back of the van. Ice covers the inside of the little compartment and its creeping steadily onto their gloves and up their shirts. They’re holding her upper arms, each on one side, and attempting to drag her from the van. She emerges, looking so angry and panicked that I can practically see the adrenalin coming off in waves. They plonk Liam on the ground and as soon as she touches it, the sand freezes. I stifle a heart attack. What the hell is going on!?

Another shout comes from behind me and I whip around as fast as the guy will let me to see Savannah with a trail of blood dripping from her chin. Her captors are looking sheepish and annoyed and Tano shouts something is Russian at them as he and Ranski shove Liam in a hessian sack. The bag is quickly covered in ice. They are going to feel that later.

The two holding Sav yank her feet off the ground and clamp two gloved hands around her waist and start walking away from the van with my friend wriggling between them. What is wrong with these two?

The guy holding me shoves Beth and me in the same direction, with Tano and Ranski following behind, taking turns holding the frosted bag with Liam inside, shouting her head off. Ranski suddenly flashes his hand out and hits the sack. Liam’s yells cut off abruptly. Tano thumps his partner heavily and hisses at him. I can’t hear what he’s saying, but he is mad.

The man holding my arms stops and I nearly fall over with the suddenness. I flick my eyes away from Liam and Savannah to see where we are. A little, scrubby lot of bushes are in front of us. Tano drops the frozen sack into Ranski’s hands and rubs his hand along the trunk of the biggest tree. He presses one of the knots in it, then turns to smile at us.

“Special entry. Can’t get back out.”

Beth shoots me a terrified look, then the air in front of the bush starts to waver and flicker. Tano swings his hand through the air and everyone starts walking towards the anomaly. I dig my feet into the ground and Savannah starts kicking but one-by-one, we’re all marched through the air. Which makes three almost-heart attacks in as many minutes.

We emerge in a marble hallway, with great green quartz columns and an over decorated throne in the middle of the grand room. My brain goes into overdrive at the ridiculousness of what’s happening. We look around. The whole place has a sinister feel about it and as our strange precession halts in front of the huge chair, I notice why. Someone is sitting in it and the someone looks waaaaay to happy to see us.

“Oh my dear girls… Welcome.”

Chapter 3: Holding Our Breath

Savannah POV

The guys holding me suddenly let go and I land hard on my knees. Beth and Kali are shoved down beside me. We all share panicked looks. Then Tano and Ranski tip the brown hessian sack up-side down and Liam skids out and along the marble floor. She halts in front of the steps leading to the throne, quickly scrambling around to stare at the guy in the chair. I see her eyes widen, then shoot down in a scowl. She goes to pick herself up when a ringed hand shoots out and grabs her chin, twisting her face around as the owner observes it. The multiple, bleeding scratches from the rough material and the bruise on her arm seems to make him angry and he scans over her face. Then he looks up and frowns at the large men standing stiffly behind us.

“I thought I told you not to damage them.”

He says in a quiet yet commanding English accent. He suddenly throws Liam away from him and she hits the floor hard, totally undermining what he just said. I wince at the contact and the man looks at me. I notice he has steely black eyes that seem to bore into my skin. He shakes his head and watches the blood trickle from my cheek to the floor. Liam scrabbles up to sit next to me and I can tell that she’s going to exploit the ‘They are not to be touched’ rule to no end.

“You can’t even follow the simple order to not hurt them, you fools.”

He stands up, his white suit unwrinkling as he walks purposefully to Tano. He only comes up to the massive man’s shoulder but Tano winces.

“Ees not our fault, Sire. Girls put up fight.”

The black suited man explains. I sniff proudly as one of the guys rubs his arm where I kicked him. Beth shakes beside me and I put an arm around her. Kali joins our huddle and Liam scoots over to sit beside us. She looks at us with a gaze that says, ‘Find exits, windows, hammers, guns, whatever. A way out.’ I nod in understanding and Beth pulls herself up with Kali. We all stand. I put my arms around Beth and look at white-suits black-and-grey hair until he turns around and returns my stare steadily.

“Well, this sure has been fun, but we need to go now.”

I say evenly. Liam smirks beside me and Kali tries to stop herself giggling. Beth frowns.

“Go?”

The man replies, as if he’d never heard the word before. Liam rolls her eyes.

“Yes, go.”

She clarifies slowly. Kali and Beth snicker. He smiles creepily.

“Girls, you’re in my castle now and after the ridiculously tedious and exhausting effort it took to get you here, you’re not leaving any time soon.”

“Uh, well, correct me if I’m wrong, but even in your seemingly, uh, demented mind, there should be such a thing as free will.”

Liam says sarcastically. I roll my eyes. Way to screw things up. The man’s eyes flare with anger and he looks over all of us with a glare.

“If you four weren’t so important, I would have you punished for that comment.”

I shoot Liam a ‘way-to-go’ look full of annoyance. She smiles back sheepishly.

“As it is, you are, sadly, too imperative to the success of my plans to be of any use with an injury.”

He shoots Liam a meaningful look and she leans her weight onto one leg, too busy having a glaring contest with Ranski to notice or care. The man looks over his shoulder to Tano.

“Introductions?”

He asks silkily. Tano rushes over to stand behind us. He hangs an enormous hand over my head.

“Savannah Greene.”

He announces. I scowl. How does this creeper know my name? Tano moves on to point to Beth.

“Bethany Finch.”

She twists around and gives me an incredulous look as he moves on to Kali.

“Kali Falls.”

Kali growls and I try to hide my smile. Her name gave us so many laughs because Kali always used to trip at the top of this one flight of stairs. It turned into the best name pun ever.

Tano hangs his hand above Liam’s head now and she looks non-to happy.

“Liam Winters.”

He finishes. Then he stalks back to the white-suited man and faces us.

“This is Master Lucius, and you shall refer to him as such.”

I share looks with the others that say, ‘Yeah, good luck with that.’

Lucius flashes us a devilish smile and saunters back to his throne. He sits down comfortably. Now that the pompous ‘Master’ is out of the way, I catch Liam’s eye and we mentally consider escape plans. Kali joins the silent conversation and Beth contributes by pointing out a gap between Ranski and some other guy. Liam takes a step towards the gap when Lucius clears his throat.

“I’m waiting.”

He must have been speaking while we were planning. Since we missed his question, needless to say we don’t reply. Lucius huffs and leans back into the cushiony chair.

“While Miss Winters was thinking off sprinting off, I asked you if you knew why you were here. Do you have an answer?”

We share sceptical glances.

“You kidnapped us to attempt evil, deranged and sick experiments on?”

Liam offers. Lucius glares at her but before he can reply, Kali interrupts.

“To try and get a ransom?”

He frowns darkly, and is stopped from explaining again by Beth.

“Because you were bored?”

I jump on the spot with my idea.

“For the hell of it!”

I yell excitedly. Liam face-palms and Beth and Kali roll their eyes. I glare at my blond-haired friend.

“Better than experiments.”

I defend. Liam’s grey eyes fill with cheek.

“This guy couldn’t experiment his way out of a cardboard box.”

She says loudly. Lucius suddenly stomps loudly and shouts.

“Are you quite finished!?”

His face is turning a bright red colour and Kali smiles behind her hand. Beth sticks her tongue out and Liam doesn’t even bother to hide her smirk. I snort and choke back laughter.

“Don’t ask us rhetorical questions. Life lesson 1.”

Tano clears his throat.

“Jus listen to de Master.”

Beth rolls her eyes and loops her arm around my shoulders. Liam opens her mouth to reply but I tug on her long pony tail and she shuts it, whipping me an angry glower for touching her hair. Lucius rubs his temple and sighs in annoyance.

“You were brought here on specific demand because of the power you possess. Each of you.”

“Power being?”

Liam asks dryly. I roll my fingers together and a tiny, electric spark appears. Lucius points to it.

“Your control over the elements of your seasons.”

“Whatawhat now?”

Kali says, confused. The tailored man continues as though she hadn’t spoken. He turns to look at me.

“Savannah; you have a weakness for cold and have unnaturally high body temperatures. So far you have been documented at positive 75 degrees Celsius.”

Wow.

“Also, now that your back here, all the powers of being the controller of Summer will come back full force.”

He smiles as though enormously pleased with this.

“What kind of powers are we talking about here?”

I ask warily. Lucius waves his hand as though it doesn’t really matter.

“Oh, fire and electricity wielding, melting touches, Summer storms… that sort of thing. You can also control the heat of the days and nights of your season. And I believe that you can all fly.”

I look at my hands in disbelief. He turns to Beth.

“Being Spring, you have the ability to heal and reenergise beings. You can control the earth at will. As with Summer, you cannot stand cold.” He pulls his nose up in distain as he adds: “You can also control plants and leave a bed of flowers wherever you go.”

Beth stares down at her school shoes and sure enough, a bed of pansies are germinating through the cold marble. They suddenly bloom and Beth touches one, a smile creeping onto her face as it bows its head. Lucius faces Kali and she stiffens.

“As Autumn, you can whip up dust storms, draw energy from plants to create electricity, send things to sleep and, obviously, turn the leaves and plants all over brown and create things from them. You’re the symbol of rebirth. Cold affects you but you can withstand it above 0 degrees.”

He moves to gaze to Liam and smiles maliciously.

“Then, Winter. The outcast. The one who can ruin every ecosystem but its own.”

“Enough with the demoralising observations; get on with it.”

Liam snarls. But I see behind the mask of fury to a one of slight panic. Lucius smiles wider.

“You make blizzards, you freeze items of importance, the ice and snow and cold winds are entirely your fault. You kill the flowers, force the trees to retire their leaves, make the waters of the world freezing. Your body temperature is impossibly low, you cannot stand the heat and - ,” he pauses, taking in the shocked silence with glee, “are an utter liability to nature.”

I stare at the floor and catch a small amount of ice crawling its way towards Beth’s flowers. Kali sees it too, and puts her hand down to stop it, but the flowers just whither at her touch. She pulls back, horrified, and the frost coats the little pansies. I don’t even make eye contact with Liam, or Kali, but Beth and I share looks. Those two are our opposites; but they’re also our best friends. Lucius laughs hollowly. Then he saunters off to his throne and waves his hand. Tano clamps gloved hands down on Liam’s shoulders and forcefully herds her off towards a door to the right. She’s too angry to even protest. The rest of the men copy Tano and push us all into the right wing of the hall.

“You’ll be shown your rooms and then join me for dinner.”

Lucius calls as we disappear through the door. I scowl and catch Liam whisper furiously under her breath.

“The only thing that will be joining around here is my foot and your face.”

Chapter 4: Busting Out Doors

Beth POV

Ranski and Tano herd Liam and Kali off into a different corridor than Savannah and I. I crane my neck to try and see them for as long as possible. Kali turns around and catches my eye. She gives me an encouraging smile and nudges Liam. The blond smirks and gives me a two-finger salute before Ranski shoves her along. Kali skips dutifully after and I hurry to catch up with Savannah before the man behind me has time to push me.

The two guys escort us down a short hallway, then stops outside a large, multi-coloured door. Ranski and Tano suddenly appear with Liam and Kali from a corridor branching off the foyer. Tano keeps Liam far away from Savannah and I, which just makes us all mad. Ranski pushes open the heavy doors and holds them open for us to be shown in. Tano stands in the middle of a smallish, circular room with four painted doors around the perimeter, his beefy hands holding firmly onto Liam’s shoulders.

“Dis ees vere you ees’t stayink. Summer eend Spring, you’re on de left side of de room. Falls and Winters, you ees on right. Doors are coloured to make sense.”

He dips his head and jerks his head to Ranski, who guides Kali towards an organgy-brown door towards the back of the room. Liam is ushered towards a sky-blue and white door.

One of the men lays a hand on my shoulder and points me towards a lime green and pink door next to Kali’s. Savannah is directed into a bright yellow and orange entry opposite Liam’s.

As soon as I’m in the room, the door behind me closes on the escort. I hear footsteps outside, then the sound of a slight clicking noise and the massive doors being pulled shut. Then there’s a louder click as they lock. Before I get distracted by the bedroom, I dash to the door and yank on the lever. It bursts open and I stumble somewhat gracefully into the mini-foyer of our joined-room-thing. Savannah suddenly shoots through her door and Kali calmly appears as well. We wait. A loud bang is all we get from Liam’s room. Kali walks over to the door and knocks.

“Liam? You coming out?”

“Well I would freaking love to but that jackass locked the door!”

She yells. A few more massive thumps emanate before the sound of someone slumping against the frame. Liam’s voice comes from lower down the door.

“What is their problem with me?”

She asks herself quietly. It’s hard to tell – because of the door and Liam being Liam – but I think she’s upset. Savannah, Kali and I group around the outside of the blue and white door. Savannah stays back a bit because of the cold, though. I touch the wood.

“Li, Savannah’s gonna try shorting out the lock. Get away from the door.”

We hear Liam shuffling along the floor, then resuming her angry brooding elsewhere. Savannah moves in front of the lock and rubs her hands together. Blue lightning starts shooting off them and I pull Kali further away. Then Sav puts her hands of the doorknob. The sound of metal melting and hissing fills the room, along with the tangy smell of copper. The door bursts open and Liam shoots out. She skids along the floor on her feet and carefully avoids smooshing herself on the wall. She whips around with a half-smile on her face.

“And I kept the dignity. Bonus.”

We laugh and move in towards each other. Liam’s not big on hugs, but Kali and I yank her into one. Savannah loops her arms around us, and her and Liam try to avoid touching the other. But they smile. Suddenly Sav laughs.

“Can’t wait to see their faces when they find the Winter Wonder out of her room.”

Liam stalks through the round foyer with fake superiority, then stands to attention next to the main door. She uses her fingers as a gun to shoot the entrance to her room, then blows on them.

“I’m too skilled for them to catch.”

She announces. I snort.

“That would be why Savannah had to get you out, hum?”

I ask sarcastically. Liam stops being spy-like and glares half-heartedly at me.

“Woulda gotten out by myself.”

She mumbles. Kali leans closer, her hand cupped around her ear.

“Oh do tell us how.”

She croons. We wait. Liam suddenly jumps up in excitement.

“Would have frozen the hinges then smashed them!”

She exclaims. Savannah nods.

“Guess that would work.”

She concedes. Liam then gets this crazy glint in her eyes and spins around to face the multi-coloured doors. I intake breath.

“Oh no, Li, don’t even think about it.”

I warn. Kali nudges me.

“Oh, she’s thinking about it.”

Liam presses her hands to the massive hinges of the doors and frost starts to cover them. Then she stops when and turns to face up, a slight hint of seriousness in her gaze.

“Should see if there’s anything to change into first. Don’t know about you, but the school uniform is outie.”

She dashes off into her room and we hear draws being flung open. I shrug.

“May as well.”

Sav and Kali nod and head off into their rooms. I trot off to mine.

The chest-of-drawers is coated in painted flowers and little vines. My whole room is ultimately pink, green and yellow colours. I smile. As kidnappers, these guys sure do know what they’re dealing with. Kind of. Not really. Anyway.

I open the top drawer and find a handful of colourful skirts and stockings. I pick out a tasteful purple, mid-thigh one with white stockings. The next drawer holds shirts. After rummaging for a while, I yank free a floaty-sleeved lilac and green one. The lilac sleeves are semi-see-through material sewn onto a lime-green singlet. Being Spring is, I guess, a very eccentric job.

After slipping on some white ballet-flats, I return to the foyer. Kali’s already there, wearing her trade-mark denim shorts, although they’re orange denim and not blue. She’s got on a white singlet and ginger converse. She looks at my outfit and nods.

“Very Spring. Very you.”

I smile at the compliment. Savannah then appears, wearing a bright yellow sun frock and black-flats. Her hair’s been brushed out and half pinned up with a sunflower clip. I grin at her and she twirls for us.

“Nice.”

I comment. Kali nods and Savannah blushes happily. We wait for a bit.

“Liam, hurry up!”

I yell.

“If your floor was covered in ice, would you be keen to sprint out!”

She replies sarcastically. I roll my eyes.

“Li, you’re the controller of freaking Winter.”

Silence.

“Oh.”

I share happily frustrated looks with Kali and Savannah. We love Liam, we really do, but she has her blond moments. I watch some more pansies blossom up from the ground before footsteps halt right in front of me. I look up. Liam’s shaking her head in mock disappointment.

“Girls girls girls, when are you going to learn the art of stealth properly?”

We all glare at her. She continues.

“As pretty as you all look, is it practical for sneaking around?”

“Who cares?”

We all say at the same time. Liam shrugs, her black hoodie clinging to her frame.

“Eh. Fine by me.”

She starts heading for the pre-iced hinges and crouches down in front of them to finish busting the doors. She’s wearing pure white skinny-jeans with black boot-converse. Her black hoodie is over the top of a black tank-top. She’s got a striped black and blue ribbon in her hair because Liam just likes ribbons for some reason. Suddenly the doors burst open and crash into the hallway. I give Liam a sceptical look. She puts her hands up in defence.

“Hey; if you guys can wear colourful clothes, I can make big noises.”

I sigh and walk out into the corridor. Savannah and Kali follow while Liam starts writing something in the ice on the ground. Then she straightens up and trots out after us. I lean back to see what she wrote:

‘See ya! Love Liam, Beth, Kali and Savannah.

P.S. Bite me’

I snort and loop my arm through Liam’s. I shiver at her cold skin, but don’t take my hand away.

“Going for the subtle approach I see.”

I say. She smirks at me.

“As if the doors aren’t enough of a clue. But they aren’t exactly the brightest little sparks.”

I giggle in agreement and she gives me a half-smile. I stick my tongue out and slip away from her. Liam stalks carefully to the front of the group and stops us before we round one of the corners. She peeks around it, then waves us on. With the green marble palace, we all pretty much blend in, except Kalis’ orangeness, but who’s here to care? Suddenly Liam pushes us all against one of the walls and puts her finger to her lips to tell us to be quiet. I slow my breathing when I hear voices.

“Did Agati hear de bang?”

One asks. I recognise Tano’s deep rumble. Liam’s eyes narrow.

“Yea. He sent Ranski, Demitri and Jenkins around de udder vay.”

Tano’s shadow appears on the opposite wall and I see he’s nodding. They’re getting closer. Kali draws her breath in sharply and Savannah clutches my hand. Then there’s a yell from the direction of our rooms.

“Dey are gone! Tano! Parker! Get down here!”

The two men start to sprint, not noticing us in the shadows. They go right past and we all relax a bit. Liam steps out with Savannah. She turns to us.

“Okay, as unpractical as this will sound, I want to see their reactions. With me?”

I nod, because it’ll be hilarious. Kali giggles in ascent and Savannah jumps a bit. We slink back down the way we came and peek around the corner to see all six of the body-guard men staring at the broken door and the message. Suddenly Master Lucius stalks around the corner, rage creasing his face.

“Ooo, it’s the big kahuna!”

Liam whispers dramatically. I stifle a laugh. Lucius starts yelling at the men.

“You fools! You incompetent idiots! How could you let them get away!?”

Savannah rolls her eyes and Kali mutters under her breath. Tano keeps staring at the words in the ice.

“Didn’t know girls vere so powerful.”

He says truthfully. Lucius rubs his forehead.

“Of course they are, Tano. Hence we need them. And that’s why, letting them escape, will offer massive consequences!”

His voice keeps rising as he yells.

“We need them on our side! We’re neck-and-neck with the God-damn Royal Armies and need this advantage to win!”

His face starts turning red with anger. Liam giggles behind her hand, seeming to thoroughly enjoy this. Then she presses her hands to the floor and snow starts falling over Lucius and the guards. The Master stops mid-sentence and stares around, expecting to her the Winter girl snickering somewhere close by. He would be right, of course. As the snow settles, a cold wind starts up and blows it into formed piles. We can see what’s written from here, while Lucius, Tano and his gang shuffle around to read it. I send in vines and flowers to border to snowy letters while Kali floats leaves in to settle in specific places. Savannah creates a little border of dancing fire around the statement. We all laugh silently in our hiding place as Ranski reads the message out loud.

“Dear deranged maniac, a.k.a ‘Master Lucius’,

Come looking, and you won’t find us. Come bearing armies and weapons… and we’ll kick your butt into next week. Don’t come at all, and we’ll spare you inevitable embarrassment.

L<3ve Liam, Beth, Kali and Savannah.

If his head could explode, it would be about to. Lucius’s face is so red with anger that it’s going purple.

“FIND THEM NOW!”

He shrieks. Tano and Ranski scramble around to assemble search parties. I jerk my head away from them and we all start quietly heading back the way we came. Liam brings her hands up in the air quickly, then plunges them down just as fast. Multiple yells sound from behind and she picks up the pace.

“What did you just do?”

I ask warily. Liam shrugs.

“Indoor blizzard. I’m really getting the hang of this.”

I share in ‘ohh crap’ look with Savannah. At the best of times, this girl isn’t even trusted with a butter knife. And we can’t exactly take away the Winter powers, because they’re not tangible things. Eh well. As long as we’re not on the receiving end.