"Dancing in the wild light of the moon, stripped bare of their insecurities, was when little girls first grew wings and learned how to fly."

-An excerpt from The Wilde Faeries of Belle Isle, a fairy tale written by Lady Eloise Lenore. 1880.

I wiped my sweaty face with the hem of my shirt when the bell rang, dismissing us from school for the day. After forty minutes of sweating and trying my best to avoid Rory, my sister hadn't returned to class. I'd be lying if I'd said Charlie's disappearance didn't have me worried.

I hurried off to change, dodging Rory with a quick sidestep when he made to congratulate me with a quick fist bump for our less than impressive win.

Not today, putting as much space and bodies between us as possible.

"Meet me in the parking lot!" Kaleb called from across the court. He always gave me and Charlie a ride home and for that I was grateful, considering we lived out of his way. "And please hurry up," he added, "The ferry to Crane Island leaves at 6:30, and you know my ass isn't packed yet."

I chuckled, of course, he wasn't. We'd been fast friends since middle school when both Kaleb and I were paired up during ballroom dancing lessons in eighth grade. Kaleb was all legs and arms, yet still managed to be as graceful as a heron when he moved. Kaleb got his wavy dark brown hair and perfectly-tanned skin from his father, Ravi Anand, who immigrated to Massachusetts from southern India and started his own law firm.

I only made it a few steps towards the locker room when Rory called, "St. Croix!"

He made his way through a gaggle of die-hard fans, cutting through the pack.

That same slithering feeling crept across my skin. I turned and kept walking towards the locker room, but persistent as ever, Rory sprinted forward, a gentle hand reaching for my arm to stop me.

"Do you need a ride home? I could–"

"I'm covered," I replied flatly, before he could finish, taking my arm from his grip.

I felt the eyes of the army of fans slice through me as they made their way toward the locker room. Rory Amaldi was hot. Only an idiot would deny it, but I wasn't interested–in anyone at this school, but least of all him. He called me by my last name while trying to flirt with me.

"Oh okay, cool," he said, wiping a patch of glistening sweat along his brow. It was everywhere, running from his collar, down to the school's name in old English lettering stretched across his broad chest. It was probably my fault. I wasn't the best player and what I lacked Rory made up for.

I tried not to notice the bronze skin beneath, accentuated by the basically see-through shirt and asked, "Can I help you with something?"

He seemed taken off guard by my question. "Well, I was wondering if you were going to the carnival? Maybe we could meet up?"

Ugh, I didn't have time for this. Thankfully my sister's head popped out from behind the locker room door, but she didn't look too happy.

"Locker room. Now!"

"Sorry Rory," I said, gesturing to the locker room. "I have to go."

I didn't offer a farewell, leaving him standing in the middle of the gym without so much as a backwards glance. I had no idea why Rory was all of a sudden interested in me. I wasn't his type, and he wasn't mine. Besides, Rory Amaldi's "roster" was a yard line too long and I was perfectly content staying out of his end zone.

I noticed a herd of annoyed-looking girls exiting the locker room all at once, whispering as they hurried past me. I ignored it, knowing they were likely chastising me under their breath for avoiding Rory. I pushed open the heavy door and found the room eerily quiet. I found my sister standing beside my open locker. Charlie's impish smirk replaced by a mask of anger.

My locker door was wide open. "Did you break into my locker?"

"27-02-18," she stated her eyes burning like red hot coals. "February 27, 1881. It's your favorite journal entry from The Evening Star." A collection of letters written by Lady Eloise Lenore.

Charlie held up my envelope from The Lenore Foundation, and righteous anger filled my chest. "Give that back to me," I whispered harshly, holding out my hand and walking a step closer.

My sister made a face, then reached inside her mini leather backpack and pulled out another envelope.

Same size. Same stamp. Same wax seal. But with her name on the front.

My jaw dropped. "Where did you get that?" I asked, unable to understand what was going on.

"Breaking news. Hot Prof and Dr. Capang just informed me I was accepted as a candidate for this year's Hunt at Lady Lenore's Manor." Overhead, one of the fluorescent lights flickered. "Did you do this? Send in an application for me?"

I opened my mouth, still trying to process the twin envelopes in Charlie's hands. "Is this why you were called down to the principal's office?"

"Don't answer my question with another question, Evie."

There was no use lying because she'd know. "I applied, but not for you."

My sister shook the envelope like it had personally offended her. "I just had to endure a lecture from Dr. Capang about this. His mustache was practically twitching with excitement when he told me what an honor this was for me and the school. Going on and on about how it was the first time in recorded history two sisters had been accepted for a Hunt." A single red brow rose into her hairline. "I want the truth. Did you secretly enter me in this hunt?"

"No!" I snapped back.

I hoped she'd cover for me if mom said no. Clearly, that wasn't going to happen.

Charlie crossed her arms, waiting for me to continue.

I sighed. "I wrote my essay about how you and I always listened to Lady Lenore's stories as kids, but I didn't fill out an application for you."

Charlie took a moment to study my face, clearly trying to work out if I was lying–which I wasn't and she damn well knew. After a few seconds, she gave me a satisfied nod, then said, "Okay, I believe you, but that doesn't mean I forgive you. You should have told me."

My hungry eyes flicked to the envelope, an idea brewing. If Charlie had an invitation too, my mom was going to be much easier to convince.

"I'm sorry," I said and meant it. Then waited for a few brief moments. "So, do you want to go?" I asked timidly, knowing it was a long shot. "It could be fun."

"Are you out of your mind? I don't want to go anywhere near that cursed island and neither should you!" she snarled. "Besides, we already made weekend plans with Trent and Stevie, remember? We're volunteering at the voter registration booth at the festival then we're all spending the night at Stevie's."

I'd forgotten I'd agreed to help Charlie run a booth this weekend. And even though I'd feel guilty bailing on Stevie and Trent, this was my shot. My one chance. I was a descendant of Lady Lenore. I deserved that scholarship. Other students like Cole Santiago thought the Hunt was a legend, or a fun way to earn a scholarship, but my family knew better. I knew better.

"Charlie, I want to go," I stated, rooting firmly in my decision.

My sister's gray eyes studied me. "Why?"

Carefully, I pried my envelope out of her grip, holding it to my chest and trying to draw strength from the words printed inside. "Because I deserve to go. I want to compete and find Lady Lenore's lost library. Dr. Capang is right, this is a huge honor. We could go together and find out about our history." I glanced around the locker room to make sure we were still alone. "Maybe we could finally understand the truth about the past."

Going meant more to me than just a scholarship. It was my opportunity to glimpse history. Our family's history. The one that was pulled from us, like a flower yanked from the roots. I wanted to find Lenore's library and learn more about who I was. To learn why my mother kept our lineage from us. Eloise Lenore was a world-renowned scholar. Her words coveted by historians, scholars and educators alike. I couldn't understand why they would forgo it all. I had more of a right to Lenore's legacy than anyone else. Her words the seeds of a woman I aspired to be. And I wouldn't allow this opportunity to slip through my fingers.

The overhead light above us flickered once again, buzzing loudly before it went out. Charlie and I startled, both looking at the ceiling, knowing but not wanting to give voice to the feeling brewing between us. The gold chain around my neck hung heavy.

"I don't want to know about the past, Eve," Charlie whispered into the shadows. "I want to live a normal life. There's a reason mom and Great Aunt Sage changed our name. Why we're forbidden to speak about it to anyone."

"We wear the same pendants as Lenore," I argued, taking the gold coin from my shirt. "I know you're just as curious as me, Charlie. I know you feel it. The way the island calls to you in the dead of the night and keeps you from sleep."

The hinges on the locker room door screeched before the sound of a very familiar voice called out, "Charlie and Eve, move your beautiful asses or I'm leaving without you!"

"Coming!" I shouted at Kaleb. Then I dropped my voice to a whisper again. "I'm sick of having to make myself smaller just to fit into our family. I want to do something more with my life. And I want you to support me the way I support you."

My sister shook her head, stuffing her envelope back inside her mini leather backpack. "There's no way in hell mom's going to let us go. This Hunt is dangerous. Especially for us. You remember the stories."

Dread curled its icy fingers around my heart, but I pushed on. "I'm going, Charlie. With or without you."

My sister's stare fell to my chest. Not to the pendant, but to the jagged scar beneath. Her anger giving way to pity. "Fine," she caved. "But if mom says no, we're out." Jabbing a thumb towards the door. "And when she does, we're going to the carwash, the fair, and Starbucks. And you're paying for everything. Including my eight-dollar frappuccino."

My eyes crinkled in the most genuine smile I had before I snatched my things from my locker.

A/N: Charlie's with us! Now we just have to convince mom.

Thank you so much for reading!

-Dene and AJ