One True Queen (School for Good and Evil Book 2)

Chapter 9

Agatha turned to the Snake, panting.

"And still no Lion . . . ," the Snake tutted. "So now the real show begins." He opened his palm and a pack of playing cards appeared with a tuft of smoke. He spread them out in his fingers, revealing some of their faces—

Not card faces, Agatha realized. Actual faces. For each of the cards had a prisoner painted on it: Dot . . . Bogden . . . Anadil . . . the King of Bloodbrook . . .

"Pick a card," the Snake said to Agatha. "Whoever you pick, their door drops."

The crowd drew a breath, cocking towards the horizon like panicked chickens. Surely Tedros would stop this. Surely he would slay this villain the way King Arthur had slain many before. . .

"Why are you doing this?" Agatha rasped.

The Snake's eyes glittered like gems. "Ask my father." Then he muttered under his breath, "Even Aric knew when to pick his battles accordingly."

He held out the deck. "Pick."

Agatha slackened, her cheeks bright red.

Aric? How does he know Aric?

But she picked the first card, the back of it painted with the Snake's crest.

Her hands shook as she turned the card over.

The face on it was Kiko's.

The door under Kiko's feet dropped open but Agatha was already diving, snagging her friend by the legs and pulling her back onto the platform so she couldn't fall through.

It happened so fast that the crowd didn't make a sound.

Agatha stayed on her knees, hugging Kiko's calves with all of her strength, as Kiko hung from the noose at an angle. If Agatha let her go, her friend would drop and break her neck. Which meant both of them were trapped in their position.

With no sign of Tedros, the crowd revolted, battering the walls with renewed force—

Suddenly, thirty young pirates broke through the crowd, seizing the hardest protestors from behind, swords to their necks. The rest of the mob went quiet with fear.

"It seems we have a dilemma . . . ," the Snake continued, watching Agatha, clutching her friend. "Because someone has to pick next."

She didn't budge.

The terrified crowd glanced between her and the Snake.

"Ah, I see," the Snake said. "It seems you're both a bit tied up. Well, then."

He held out the deck in his open palm.

"I'll pick."

He turned the first card over.

Hort.

Tears fogged Agatha's eyes. She couldn't watch Hort die—

His trapdoor opened. The noose around his neck yanked tight. Agatha and Kiko screamed—

Instantly, the rest of the prisoners in the row kicked their legs out, using the chain cuffed across them to swing like a five-headed dragon: Hester, Anadil, Willam, Bogden, and finally Dot, who thrust her legs and caught Hort's backside with her shins before he fell through the door. With every ounce of strength, she held him up by the tailbone, their bodies planked at right angles, like trapeze performers midflight.

Agatha buckled in relief, briefly losing grip of Kiko but catching her just in time.

Hort was dripping sweat, rope burns around his neck.