Reincarnated As The Villainess's Best Friend

Ginny's shoulders stiffened, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her robe. Her gaze shifted to Freya, then back to me.

"It's not that simple, Rin," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Why is that?" I asked, "How does it work?"

"Ginny here is quite special," Freya cut in, a hint of mockery hidden in her tone. "Her nature affinity runs quite deep. So deep in fact, that she literally 'communicates' with the earth."

She threw two fingers in the air to emphasize the word.

"Communicates?" I asked, lifting a brow.

Freya let out a short, bored sigh. "In other words, the earth tells her where you are. So long as you're on the ground, she can find you."

That was one of the most impressive things I'd ever heard. Having a spell like that could easily place Ginny in C-Rank.

"It doesn't work all the time," Ginny quickly added. "I've only gotten it to work a few times, and even then, it's not always accurate."

"I don't care," I said, stepping closer to her. "If there's even a slight chance you can find Lucy, I need you to try."

My own words seemed to ease my doubts. I had no idea if her spell would work, but for Lucy's sake, I had to believe in her.

Ginny's frown deepened, but a spark of determination lit up in her eyes. Unlike her sister, her expressions seemed more natural. More genuine.

"Fine," she said, rising to her feet. "But I'm going to need a few things first."

"Name them," I replied, my pulse racing.

Ginny moved to a small wooden desk in the corner, her wet hair clinging to her back as she rummaged through a drawer. Then she pulled out a folded piece of parchment and spread it across the desk.

It was a detailed map, showing the western provinces of Westumberland; Pentra, Viridale, and Brannersport. The lines were intricate, tracing rivers, forests, and towns with careful precision. Whoever made it, had spent hours trying to perfect it.

Ginny smoothed the map out with her hands, her movements slow and deliberate.

"I need something else," she said, glancing up at me.

"What's that?"

"Something belonging to Lucy. Something personal. A piece of clothing, a trinket, anything she's touched recently."

An idea clicked into my mind.

"l'll be back," I said, heading to the door.

I slipped out of the room, my footsteps quick and silent as I retraced my steps through the darkened corridors to Lucy's room. I moved quickly, knowing that every second I wasted here was a second she could be slipping further into danger.

I pushed open her door, the familiar scent of her oils wafting into my nose. My eyes scanned the dimly lit room, until my gaze landed on a small wooden comb on her bedside table.

It was simple, carved with a delicate floral pattern, with strands of Lucy's hair caught in its teeth.

I grabbed it without hesitation, and sprinted back to Ginny's room, the comb clutched tightly in my hand.

When I returned, Freya was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed, watching her sister with a mix of pride and amusement.

Ginny had lit another lantern, bathing the room in a warmer glow.

"Will this do?" I asked, handing the comb over to her. She took the comb from me without a word and turned back to the map.

Placing the comb in the center of the map, she closed her eyes, her lips moving silently as she traced her fingers over the parchment.

"Nature Affinity: Terra Locata."

That was the first Nature Affinity spell I'd heard using the mystic language. I'd always thought it was only used by Dark Affinity spells.

For a moment, everything remained silent. I shifted my gaze toward Freya, narrowing my eyes. She simply stared back, then shrugged.

I was about to say a word, when a faint vibration suddenly filled the air, originating from Ginny. It pulsed all around the room, making the hairs on my arms stand on end.

The comb on the desk began to glow, a soft green light pulsing from its surface. The light spread, seeping into the map like ink, until a single point on it began to glow brighter than the rest.

"She's there," Ginny said, her voice strained. When she opened her eyes, her face went pale.

"Where?" I said, moving closer to the table. Freya moved closer as well.

When I saw the spot on the map where the green drop was, my stomach dropped.

Blackthorn Forest. The most dangerous forest on the outskirts of Viridale, where powerful mages even feared to tread.

It was a labyrinth of thorns and shadows, home to creatures that could tear through armor like paper.

I remembered tales of adventurous mages, who had gone there seeking fame and glory. None of them ever returned.

If Lucy was there with Kyro, she was in more danger than I'd feared.

"Are you sure?" I asked, my voice tight.

Ginny nodded, but her expression was grim. "The spell worked this time, but like I said, it's not perfect yet. She could be moving. Or the spell could be off by a few miles."

"It's enough," I said, my mind already racing. I finally had a lead, even though it raised a dozen more questions in my mind.

Why would Kyro take Lucy to Blackthorn Forest?

"Of all the places to go on a date, Kyro decided to take Lucy to the most dangerous forest in the world?" Freya said, watching me with that infuriating smirk. "I guess your girlfriend isn't as smart as I thought."

I frowned, my chest tightening. Freya's jokes were meant to annoy me, and it was working.

Before I could respond, a loud crash echoed from the central courtyard, followed by the unmistakable sound of boots stomping against stone.

Gruff male voices barked orders, growing louder by the second.

"Intruder!" one of them yelled, his voice echoing throughout the dorm. "We know you're in here. Come out now!"

The guards. They'd found me.

My quicksand spell must have faded by now, or maybe one of the other guards had seen me. Either way, I was out of time.