Chapter 45: Maria Seeks Help

Time was running out. She needed to find the boots soon so Sophie would have more preparation time and could better get into her prime condition for the selections. Maria stared at the darkness, her mind rummaging fiercely. The queen bee wouldn't care if the boots would be ruined in the process of hiding, but since that would be destroying private property and cause jeopardy to the council, she would try to store it in a safer place. Her room. Maria dashed back to her bedroom. As she had predicted, Julie was not back from her social parties yet. Without a second thought, Maria surveyed the queen bee's side of the room and knelt in front of her bed. Lying on her chest, she carefully lifted the covers. A silver-white bag glowed at her, ecstatic to have been found. Maria grabbed it out from under the bed and shoved it under her covers. She sat on her bed and waited. When her heartbeat had steadied slightly, she dashed out of her