Dorothy Must Die Novella #2 by Danielle Paige

destruction was this ragtag bunch, I thought, then Oz was in even bigger trouble than I’d thought—but I kept my mouth shut. Gert was probably reading my mind anyway. “We’re witches, too,” Mombi continued. “But for years, we’ve kept to ourselves, letting our more attention-hungry sisters steal the spotlight. When Glinda brought Dorothy back to Oz, we knew it was time to come together to find a way to stop her.”
    â€œYou said you knew about me already,” I said to Nox. “Back at Glinda’s palace. What does that mean? Does it have something to do with your—Order?”
    â€œWe have eyes everywhere, including in the Emerald City,” he said. “We’ve known about you for a long time. You’re part fairy, Jellia. It’s why Glinda thought she could use you to tap into Oz’s magic.”
    â€œBut how could I be part fairy?” I asked.
    â€œIt’s not common,” Gert countered, “but it’s certainly possible. Why do you think your magic is so powerful? You’ve always been different, and you know that.”
    I struggled to process what Gert was saying. I did have stronger magic than most—I knew that. But how could this be? How had I never known?
    â€œDid Ozma know?” I said finally.
    â€œI’m sure she did,” Nox said. “Anyone with enough magic can recognize your power, Jellia.”
    â€œWhy didn’t she ever tell me?”
    â€œOzma has always had her own reasons for doing what she does,” Glamora said. “The fairies aren’t like the other citizens of Oz. They literally are Oz; their magic is Oz’s magic. If she didn’t tell you, it was because she felt it was for the good of Oz. But everything is different now. You have to learn the extent of your powers if you want to help send Dorothy back to the Other Place and heal Ozma.”
    â€œYou’re not any better than Glinda,” I said, hurt surging up in my chest. “You only helped me out because you think I can do something for you.”
    â€œNot because you can do something for us,” Mombi said curtly. “Because you can do something for Oz.”
    â€œI know this is difficult, dear,” Gert said, her gentle voice countering Mombi’s gruffness. “But these are desperate times. We’ve protected you because you’re special, it’s true. But you have the power to help us heal Oz—to bring Ozma back and restore the rightful order. You can’t choose who you are. But you can choose what you’ll become.”
    â€œBut I don’t even know how to use my magic,” I said. “I never even knew what I was. How can I help you?”
    â€œNox is our eyes and ears in Glinda’s palace,” Gert replied. “And you can do that work for us in the Emerald City. No one is as close to Dorothy as you are.”
    â€œAnd Glinda hasn’t told her about your magic,” Glamora added. “As far as she knows, you’re just as ordinary as anyone else in Oz—if anyone in Oz can be said to be truly ordinary.”
    â€œIf Glinda recognized me as part fairy, why hasn’t Dorothy? She has magic, too,” I pointed out.
    â€œDorothy doesn’t have magic of her own,” Gert said. “All her power comes from those infernal shoes of Glinda’s. Dorothy is learning how to use that power for her own ends, but for now Glinda can still control her.”
    I sat for a moment, digesting what they’d told me. “You’re asking me to risk my life when I don’t even know what you’re trying to do,” I said finally.
    â€œThat part is simple,” Mombi said. “The witch is going to burn.” Everyone else at the table fell silent. Mombi slapped her hands on the table and heaved herself to her feet, trundling around the table to where I sat. “Listen, little girl,” she said, grabbing my chin and forcing me to meet