Welcome to The Night

Trial by tail

Sophie limped into a clearing, heaving for air. Faint wolf howls at the gates sent shudders through her fur. More enemies on the way. Her big green eyes searched the dark sky for Agatha. Nothing but stars winking back at her.

She looked back down and jumped. Across the clearing, Tristan and Chaddick stood in the moonlight. Face ice cold, Tristan drew an arrow into his bow. Chaddick pulled his sword.

Sophie turned to run—

Reena blocked her escape. The Arabian princess whistled and two golden wolf dogs slunk into the clearing behind her, baring knife-sharp teeth.

Sophie spun to see Arachne skulk out of the trees, finger glowing. Two more Everboys drew arrows into their bows. Legs quivering, Sophie's pink gazelle stood surrounded, waiting for her white dove to rescue her.

"Now!" Chaddick screamed—

Boys unleashed arrows, Arachne stabbed her finger, two dogs lunged as Sophie thrust out her shaking pink paw, closed her eyes— Arrows and curses sailed over her scaly rattlesnake head.

Sophie hissed in relief, slithering towards the safety of trees . . . until a shadow cast over her.

Reena's wolf dog pounced and grabbed her in its mouth.

Sophie's snake rattle burn pink—

Elephant buttocks crushed the dog's head as Sophie stampeded out of the clearing, trunk trumpeting in terror. Everboy arrows slammed into her massive pink rump and she crumpled to the grass in pain. Sophie glanced back at ten hooded assassins and two chomping fish, bouncing right for her. Helplessly cornered, she raised her glowing elephant trunk—

Curses, arrows, swords, fish grazed her feathers as Sophie's pink lovebird flapped into the air—

Screeching with triumph, she flew higher, higher, out of arrow reach, then saw the glint of flames at the barrier. Sophie recoiled in shock, only to feel something snare her wing. Slowly, a whip of water drew her towards a hooded figure in the Blue Brook.

Outside the golden gates, the unchosen Evers and Nevers waited for Sophie's name to vanish off the scoreboard like Kiko's and Arachne's. But as the hours passed and more names vanished—Nicholas, Mona, Tristan, Vex, Tarquin, Giselle, Brone, Chaddick, Anadil—Sophie's stubbornly remained.

As the hours passed, Good and Evil shared looks across the Clearing— first threatened . . . then curious . . . then hopeful . . . and before they knew it, they were drifting into each other's sides, sharing blankets, crepes, and cherry grenadine. Evil thought it had corrupted Good and Good thought it had enlightened Evil, but it didn't matter.

For two sides soon turned into one, cheering on the Prince-Witch revolution.

A Raven watches silently from the trees, watching Tedros limp into the glen below. He had no cloak, no sword, only a brutally dented shield. His tunic was torn to shreds, the silver swan on his bare chest gleaming against welts and blood. The prince gazed into the lightening sky. Then he crumpled against a skeletal pine, sniffling softly.

Tedros bolted straight. "Who's there?" His eyes moved to Agatha's and Sophie's shrubs.

Someone stepped from their shadows.

Tedros backed against the tree.

"Where's your witch?" Hester hissed, unscathed in a clean cloak.

"Safe," Tedros said hoarsely.

"Ah, I see," Hester smirked. "So much for your team."

The prince tensed. "She knows I'm safe too. Otherwise, she'd be here to fight with me."