Chapter 1
Glinda didn’t understand how Elphie could run away. After all, the Wizard had offered her a home. He’d offered acceptance and respect, and she knew Elphie wanted those things. And she could have them, right here. If she stayed.
And Glinda — well, she’d always wanted to be seen, and the opportunity was too good to pass up.
So she watched Elphie fly into the sky — and she didn’t understand but she was proud — and the guards brought her back to the Wizard. He looked her in the eye, with the same kindness that he’d shown before, and the tightness in her chest loosened. He wasn’t holding a grudge.
Of course he wasn’t. He was the Wizard of Oz, after all.
“What do you want, Glinda?” She’d never dreamed that someone so powerful would say her name.
And the answer was simple. “I want to do good.” She wasn’t Elphie; she couldn’t read the Grimmerie or cast powerful spells. But she was popular, and popular was an art. Ordinary people admired the popular. They copied their actions, their opinions, their dress — anything and everything for a touch of popularity. It wasn’t power like Elphie’s, but it was real. “I know how to make people listen.”
The Wizard turned to Madame Morrible, and Glinda tried to be patient while they talked about her, even though patience really wasn’t her strongest skill. She caught the Wizard’s quiet, “This could work,” and she allowed herself to hope. His gaze travelled over her, evaluating, and he nodded decisively. “Guards! Have someone set up a room for Miss Glinda. She’ll be staying here a while.”
Her breath caught in her throat, and she could see her dreams unfolding in front of her. How had Elphie walked away from this? “Really?”
“Sure, why not? This can be your new home.”
Madame Morrible set a hand on her shoulder and smiled. The way that Glinda had always wanted her to smile, the way she’d only smiled at—
“I’m sure you’ll do good, dearie.”
And something warm bloomed in her chest, the feeling that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
Fiyero arrived one month later, and she greeted him at the train platform. “Hello dearest.”
A flicker of confusion crossed his face, but then he was smiling at her, his typical, charming smile, and her heart skipped a beat. She’d never been so happy to see someone. “Miss me?”
She threw her arms around him and kissed him. “Not as much as you missed me,” she teased. He laughed, and he wasn’t distant and moodified anymore; he was here, with her, and they were okay.
It was bad luck, really, that Fiyero always had guard duty during big events. She’d hoped he would be free tonight, but he could only promise, “Next time, I’ll be by your side.” She understood, of course, but she missed him.
As always, the Wizard accompanied her instead. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and guided her through room, introducing her to all the political leaders in Oz. “Of course, this is Glinda the Good,” he said to everyone they met, and they all smiled and shook her hand. They loved her. Everyone loved her.
It was almost too good to be true. She — Glinda Upland, of the Upper Uplands — was standing next to the Wizard. He was showing her off. The Wizard of Oz was telling the world about her.
He swept her over to meet the Governor of Munchkinland, and she braced herself for the annoying man she’d met at Shiz, the one who’d ignored Elphie at her own celebration. Instead, she saw Nessarose, who was absolutely beautiful in a dark blue dress.
Glinda leaned down to hug her. “Where’s your father?”
“He died when he heard the news.” There was something new in her voice, a bitterness that hadn’t been there before. “A heart attack, from the embarrassment.”
The Wizard stepped closer and set a hand on the small of her back. “Such a shame that she couldn’t choose good, like your friend here.” Glinda remembered Elphie on her knees next to Chistery, begging for a way to fix him, and she didn’t want anyone to call her wicked.
Nessa glanced between her and the Wizard. “Where’s Fiyero?”
“Oh, he’s on duty,” she said airily. “He joined the Emerald Guard, you know, so he misses some of these things.”
Nessa nodded slowly. “Maybe I’ll see him the next time I’m in Emerald City.” Glinda nodded, and didn’t mention that Fiyero always missed these things. He’d been on duty for every single one.
Glinda was absolutely thrillified when the Wizard asked her to join a strategy meeting with Madame Morrible. “After all,” he said, “you’re a part of our strategy. You should be there when we plan it.”
She’d imagined a formal meeting, maybe with officers from the Emerald Guard, and she was surprised by the small dinner with just the three of them. But Glinda was the daughter of a politician, and she knew how much could be done at a meal like this.
The Wizard offered her a drink out of a green bottle, and she didn’t hesitate to accept; even without Madame Morrible’s nod of approval — approval, from Madame Morrible! — she knew it would be horrendibly rude to refuse an offer from the Wizard. The alcohol burned, but a soothing warmth settled in her body, and she felt like she was floating. The Wizard and Madame Morrible continued their talk about strategy, but she just let the words wash over her.
“Glinda.” Madame Morrible’s voice was loud and clear. “What do you think?”
She blinked, trying to remember what they’d been talking about. “Yes, that sounds good.”
“Very well.”
The Wizard held up his green bottle again, and waited for a nod to refill her glass. Him and Madame Morrible asked for her opinion a few more times, and she nodded in agreement; she didn’t know what they were saying, and she didn’t care.
Somewhere in the floating, the Wizard paused and looked at the flowers on the table. “You know, I’ve always had a weakness for pretty things.” His gaze travelled towards her.
“The flowers are rather pretty,” she agreed, reaching out to brush her fingers against a petal. And then it was back to strategy.
At the end of the night, Madame Morrible walked her to her door. “You did well tonight,” she told her, even though she’d barely spoken at all. But her body felt warm and light, and she didn’t want to question it. She just wanted Madame Morrible to be proud of her.
“Thank you.”
“I only speak the truth, dearie.” Something about that seemed wrong, but Glinda wasn’t sure why. “Continue as you are, and I foresee great things in your future.”
That sounded nice. She’d always wanted to do great things.
The next morning, she woke with a miserable headache and a busy schedule. She carefully applied her makeup to cover the bags under her eyes, then dressed herself up and curled her hair, the perfect picture of Glinda the Good.
It wasn’t until the afternoon, when her head started to clear, that she had questions. Like how she’d done a good job if she’d only nodded and had a drink. Or why the Wizard had lingered on her when he’d talked about pretty things.
That night, she invited Fiyero up to her room, even though he usually slept in the barracks. He’d barely greeted her before she said, “Kiss me.” He hesitated. “Fiyero, I need you to kiss me.”
He did, finally, hesitantly, and she had to deepen the kiss. She reached for the zipper of her dress, struggling to pull it down alone. Her dress pooled at her feet, and Fiyero’s eyes flickered down over her body, then back up to her face. He looked at her like she was a person, not a pretty thing. Her heart was pounding.
“What are you—”
“Please.”
After a long, heavy moment, he nodded. “Okay.” He kissed her again, and pulled her onto her bed, and she let the questions fade under his touch.
Glinda wasn’t sure how to feel when the Wizard started attending her dress fittings. “We just need to make sure you fit our image of Oz,” he explained cheerfully.
“Was I doing something wrong before?”
“No, no, of course not. But we want you look your absolute best.” And, well, she could never say no to someone complimenting her dresses.
The Wizard was quiet at first, just nodding along. She’d never expected to try on a ballgown and have the Wizard of Oz call her beautiful, and his approval was almost overwhelming. But on the fourth day, she tried on something that was a little too poofy for her tastes, and he said, “You should wear that one.”
“Isn’t it a little…much?”
He stepped up behind her, looking into the mirror. “Can’t you see, Miss Glinda? You look beautiful.”
She laughed and tried to see it through his eyes. She couldn’t, but she took the dress anyway.
The dress was horrendibly uncomfortable to wear, but people fawned over it. Over her. “See?” the Wizard whispered. “I told you so.”
She laughed, a little high and uncomfortable, and he wrapped an arm around her waist, guiding her to the next group. Maybe the dress wasn’t so bad after all, if everyone around her loved it.
Fiyero was still on guard duty.
The next time the Wizard challenged her, she was wearing a gorgeous dress the color of the sunset. “It’s not pink enough,” he told her, and he was right. Glinda the Good was pretty and pink.
But it was such a beautiful dress.
“Can I keep it?” she asked. “Just for myself. Not to wear in public.”
He smiled. “Of course.”
She wore the dress the next time Fiyero came to her room, and his expression reminded her of that first day at Shiz. He was looking at her the same way — like she was the only thing worthy of his attention. “Do you like the dress?”
“It’s beautiful. Like you.” She laughed, and her cheeks were warm. He was so charming sometimes.
“The Wizard said it’s not pink enough, but he let me keep it anyway.”
Fiyero frowned. “The Wizard chooses your clothes?”
“He just wants to make sure I’m fitting his vision of Oz.” The words felt awkward in her mouth, and Fiyero’s frown deepened. She didn’t want to think about it, so she tugged him down and kissed him until she was dizzy.
“Tell me about your day?” she asked.
He did, and she committed every detail to memory. But she realized that she knew nothing about his life, and that was…unsettling. He’d come all this way, just for her, and she barely even saw him.
The third time, the dress was pink, and Glinda wished she’d found it sooner; it was stunning. But the Wizard said, “It just doesn’t suit you.” He walked up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist, studying their reflection. “Not quite right,” he mused.
She wanted to tell him that this was exactly what Glinda the Good would wear, but when she shifted away, his fingers dug into her hip. It was just a moment, but her voice curled up in her throat. She stepped behind the privacy screen, heart racing, and put the dress back on the hanger. She didn’t ask to keep this one.
Even though it was beautiful.
Madame Morrible frowned, watching her move her wand through the air. “You were doing so well with the bubbles.”
“I’m sorry. I just…can’t concentrate today.” She could still feel the Wizard’s fingers against her hip, and she knew he hadn’t meant to do it, but the feeling lingered.
“A good sorceress does not let outside forces distract from her magic,” Morrible said firmly, and Glinda wanted to cry. She wanted to make her proud. She wanted Morrible to smile at her.
Madame Morrible put a hand on her shoulder, tone softening. “But everyone has bad days. Go to your room and rest, and we’ll try again tomorrow.”
She spent months looking for a day when Fiyero was off duty and her schedule was free. She arranged for them to have lunch together — in the palace, of course, so they weren’t swarmed by her adoring fans. He looked tired, but he held her hand and smiled at her stories.
She’d only eaten half her meal when the Wizard walked in. “Your Ozness,” Fiyero said, springing to his feet and saluting.
“Good to see you, Captain.”
“Captain?” Glinda asked. “You didn’t tell me.”
He smiled sheepishly — an odd look on him, but so endearing. “You’re doing so much good. I didn’t want to distract you.”
“Captain Tigelaar.” She smiled. “It suits you.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” the Wizard said, “but Miss Glinda, we have a meeting to attend.”
“What meeting?” She was sure that her day was clear.
“There was some new Animal activity spotted, and we need to discuss it immediately.”
“Of course,” she said, cursing the Animals who’d interrupted her date. She turned to Fiyero. “I’ll see you later, dearest.” She gave him a kiss on the cheek. “I’m proud of you.”
The Wizard wrapped an arm around her waist, and he led her towards the door. She glanced back at Fiyero. He was watching them, frowning, and Glinda wished she could go back. She wished they had more time.
Glinda walked out of the palace and looked at the crowd of Ozians, and someone pointed and yelled, “It’s Glinda!” The whole crowd cheered, and when she blew them a kiss, a hundred people screamed her name. The Wizard wrapped an arm around her. “Remarkable, isn’t it?”
“So remarkable,” she breathed. She shifted to the side, just enough put an inch between their bodies, and his fingers dug into her hip again. This time, they didn’t move. He held her there, and it wasn’t an accident. It couldn’t be.
The Wizard started talking to the crowd, but she could only hear her heartbeat. That, and a buzzing in her ears, something that sounded a little like a scream.
She finally heard him yell, “Glinda the Good!”, and his fingers tightened on her hip, and the whole crowd cheered again. They all cheered, for her.
Madame Morrible hissed, “Smile,” and she did. Because she was Glinda the Good, and Glinda the Good was always happy.
She stepped forward, closer to the crowd, and the Wizard finally let her go. “It’s good to see me, isn’t it?” The crowd laughed, and she went through her speech, something about staying positive in difficult times. She pretended she couldn’t feel her heartbeat down to her toes. Pretended she couldn’t feel the Wizard hovering at her back.
Madame Morrible stopped her on her way inside. “Dearie, you’re a public figure. You must appear positive.”
“The Wizard—”
“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” Her tone was sugar-sweet, dripping with reassurance. “Look at all the power you have.” She gestured towards the door, and Glinda remembered the crowd cheering for her, and it made her heart beat faster. Everyone saw her. Everyone loved her. This was everything she’d wanted. “You’re doing so much good. Do not take it for granted.”
She ducked her head. “Of course, Madame Morrible.” But she could still feel the Wizard’s fingers.
Glinda paced back and forth on her balcony, wondering if she’d been wrong. Maybe…maybe it had been an accident. After all, this was the Wizard of Oz, and he was doing good. He was helping her do good.
A weakness for pretty things.
Her bedroom door didn’t have a lock. She’d never noticed before, and she didn’t need one, really. After all, who would attack Glinda the Good? Everyone loved her. Every single person in all of Oz loved her. And she’d never felt more alone.
She kept pacing, and her fingers landed on her hip. It had been an accident. Just an accident. The Wizard wouldn’t— She tried to breathe, but her chest felt tight. The Wizard wouldn’t.
She still couldn’t breathe.
A black bird landed in front of her. A raven, she thought, or maybe a crow. “Get lost.” She made a shooing motion, and the bird fluttered its wings but didn’t leave. “Get lost,” she snapped. The bird just blinked, and she considered picking it up and hurling it towards the ground.
That thought scared her. Almost as much as the Wizard.
The bird stuck out its foot, and she saw a tiny piece of paper tied to its leg. With shaking hands, she untied it, and a sob caught in her chest when she saw the handwriting.
I’m still here if you need a friend. The ravens know how to find me. They won’t get caught.
Glinda crumpled to her knees and sobbed.