The Lady's Secret (School for Good and Evil)

A Shadow in the Tower

"So, you don't actually have a plan?" Agatha asked, crossing her arms.

Anadil stared at her. "That's not what we said. We just aren't going to tell you."

"Why?" Agatha exploded.

Hester's demon snarled. "Agatha, do we really know you all that well?" Agatha's face fell. Had they figured her out? How? It wasn't even possible! Professor Sader was a seer so that was one thing, but the Coven figuring her out... "That's what we thought," Hester grinned.

"Wait... what is the plan?" Dot asked meekly.

"Dot!" Hester seethed. "Ani will tell you."

Anadil, if it was possible, went even paler. "No, Dot, I think Hester should tell you."

Agatha rolled her eyes. "You guys don't have a plan, do you?"

"Okay," Hester started. "Here's the thing, we don't have a plan, but we need your help. Everyone else thinks the whole 'King Arthur is back from the dead' thing was a joke that Ravan played. He's stupid and everyone hates him, but that's not the point. Manley caught him with an expensive hologram projector that he stole off of Pollux while that horrible dog," Hester paused for emphasis. "was passing between the two schools. Everyone thinks it was just a trick, but we believe you. And now we need to, as awful as it sounds, kill the School Master," She whispered the last sentence with an almost spooked look up at the tower.

Agatha stared in shock. "What do you mean no one else believes?" Killing the School Master was the only way for her to set the past right. The only way to save everyone. And herself.

"Isn't that what I just explained to you? You really want me to talk about Ravan and his stupid holograms again-"

"No, definitely not," Agatha cut her off with an exasperated sigh. "But I was hoping that more than three people would show up to help."

"I'll go find Sophie and Tedros!" Dot pipped at the exact same moment Anadil huffed: "We can always just throw you over the bridge and do it ourselves. It's not like we need you."

"I can't decide which one of you is more insane," Agatha gasped, then turned to face Dot. "Why would we ever need Sophie and Tedros?"

"They're your best friends!"

"An hour ago they were both trying to kill me, I don't think anything's changed since then!"

"Don't question what I said," Anadil hissed. "You know I wouldn't hesitate to go through with it."

Agatha shuddered because she knew the truth. In 1st year, she didn't really know the Coven and, right now, she didn't have a hard time believing Anadil's words.

"Guys look," Hester's voice was worried as she pointed to the Evil side of the halfway bridge. "They're coming!"

A mob of Nevers was running towards them, some even brandishing weapons.

"Traitors, witches, betrayal!" they chanted, coming closer and closer with each step.

Agatha looked around frantically, the witches exchanging worried looks. The four started towards the Good side of the bridge, but there was a crowd of Evers on that side. They were stuck. They were trapped. Agatha's eyes moved over them and she was relieved that she didn't see Tedros until her eyes landed on the leader of the charge; her supposed prince.

"Agatha," Hester's voice was frantic. She pointed to the School Master's tower. "It's the only way."

"We don't have a plan!" Agatha hissed.

"Make one, then! They're coming!" Dot squealed.

Agatha couldn't think. The two sides were advancing faster and faster, closing in on them. 40 feet, 20 feet, 15 feet.

Then, a rope. From the tower. Agatha didn't care who's it was or if it would lead them to worse danger than they were already in right now. She grabbed on, the coven climbing up behind her. Agatha flung herself through the window and into the School Master's tower.

♠ ♠ ♠

Across the moat, Sophie rose from the floor. She had been ambushed by the Never army when she refused to fight, but now she was aware that Agatha was in danger. How did she know?

There were shadows in the tower.