Fire Princess

Chapter Seventeen

For a moment, no one was sure where the knock came from.

But then came another. This one louder. Someone was at the Never doors.

"The Circus is closed!" the wolf roared.

Two more knocks.

"I thought teachers were locked in their rooms," Agatha whispered.

"So it's not a teacher, obviously," Kiko whispered, eyes glued to Tristan.

Agatha met Hester's look across the aisle, then Phoenix caught both their eyes.

"Is it who I think it is?" Phoenix asked.

Spooked, the three girls turned back to the doors, shuddering from another loud knock.

"You will not be let in!" the wolf thundered.

The knocking stopped. Agatha sighed.

Then slowly, magically, the doors creaked open all on their own.

Into the Theater of Tales slunk a figure shrouded in a black hood. Hundreds of eyes watched the stranger glide down the aisle, footsteps quiet, snakeskin cape trailing behind like a wedding train. Smoothly, silently the black shadow ascended to the stage and stood still beneath the Circus Crown, cape scales glimmering in flame light, head bowed like a bat's.

The doors slammed shut. Pale fingers slithered from under the cape and pulled the hood back.

Sophie glared down at her audience, nose and chin marred by warts. Patches of white speckled her dyed black hair. Her emerald eyes were now murky grey, her skin thin enough to see veins. Slowly she scanned the crowd, taking in scared faces with a widening sneer. Then she saw Agatha, regal in blue, and lost her smile. Sophie stared at her, grey pupils clouding with horror.

"I see we have a new princess," she said quietly. "Beautiful, isn't she?"

Agatha returned her stare.

"But look closer, children, and see the vampire she is, come to suck our souls," Sophie leered. "Since she doesn't have one of her own."

Beneath her dress, Agatha trembled. But she withstood her withering glare. Phoenix squeezed her hand in reassurance. Sophie suddenly swivelled to Tedros and smiled.

"My dear Teddy! Fancy seeing you here. I believe we still have our match to finish."

"The Circus is over," Tedros spat. "A winner has been crowned."

"I see," Sophie said. "Then what is that?"

She stabbed her bony finger into the air and everyone looked up at the dangling Crown, still very much ungiven.

"This is bad," Hester said to Anadil. "This is very bad."

Tedros stood up across the aisle.

"Just leave," he growled at Sophie. "Before you make a fool of yourself."

Sophie smiled. "Scared, are you?"

Tedros puffed his chest, trying to hold himself back. He could feel Evers' eyes on him, just like in the Clearing when Sophie exposed his promise.

"Show us, Teddy," Sophie said sweetly. "Show me something I can't match."

Tedros clenched his teeth, fighting his pride.

Vex suddenly noticed a burnt "TEAM EVIL" banner on the floor. His eyes sparkled with hope.

"SHOW US!" he bellowed, and jabbed Brone, who jumped in. "SHOW US! SHOW US!" Lusting to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, Nevers swept into their chorus. "SHOW US! SHOW US!"