Ravan tiptoed towards Room 66, swan crests of six shivering Nevers glinting in darkness behind him.
“If the attacks stopped, maybe she’s dead,” Vex said.
“Maybe villains don’t do Evil on Sundays,” Brone suggested.
“Or maybe Sophie got over that stupid prince!” Ravan lashed.
“You don’t ever get over love,” Hort moped in dirty long johns. “Even if they steal your room and your pyjamas.”
“Sophie shouldn’t even have let herself love!” Ravan shot back, but felt a stab in his heart as he thought about Phoenix. “First time I told my dad I liked a girl, he slathered me in honey and sealed me in a bear den for a night. Haven’t liked one since.”
“Liar.” Hort accused. “That girl was Phoenix, wasn’t it? You still like her.”
“Even if I did, it would never happen.” Ravan hissed. “That’s a fairytale.”
“First time I told my mother I fancied someone, she baked me in an oven for an hour,” Mona agreed, green skin paling. “I never think about boys now.”
“First time I liked a boy, my dad killed him.”
The group stopped and stared at Arachne. “Maybe Sophie just had bad parents,” she said.
With solemn nods, the Nevers skulked to Room 66, hidden in shadow. Holding their breaths, they each found a piece of door and pressed their ears to it.
They didn’t hear anything.
“On three,” Ravan mouthed. Nevers backed up, preparing to storm it. “One...two...”
“Drink this.”
Anadil’s voice inside. Nevers shoved their ears to the door.
“They’re—killing—me—” Sophie rasped weakly—
Sounds of vomiting.
“She has a high fever, Hester.”
“Lady Lesso said—Nemesis—Drea—”
“They’re nothing, Sophie,” Hester’s voice said. “Now go to sleep.”
“Will I—be—better for—Ball? Tedros—promised—”
“Close your eyes, dearie.”
“Dreams—they’ll come—” Sophie wheezed—
“Shhh, we’re here now,” Hester said.
It was quiet inside, but Ravan and the Nevers didn’t move. Then they heard voices closer to the door.
“Dreams of faces, high fever, obsession...Lady Lesso’s right!” Anadil whispered. “Tedros is her Nemesis!”
“So she did meet the School Master!” Hester whispered back. “She’s in a real fairy tale!”
“Then this whole school better watch out, Hester. Real fairy tales mean war!”
“Ani, we need to get Tedros and Sophie back together now! Before any symptoms appear!”
“But how?”
“Your talent,” Hester whispered. “But we can’t tell a soul! This gets out and all our lives are at stak- ”
Her voice stopped. Ravan wheeled to the others—
The door slammed open. Hester peered out, eyes narrowed.
But the hallway was empty.
On Monday morning, Phoenix woke to a noisy Agatha.
YOU ARE READING
Fire Princess
FanfictionYears ago, once her fairytale had ended, Rapunzel married a prince who's entire family possessed the powers of phoenixes. That same power was passed onto her children. This is the story of her daughter, Phoenix of Firebirch, who attends the School f...
