Sofia the First: Stepmomster

The Fake Amulet

Amber fought off her sleepiness and ran past the paintings and the forest of pillars. The amulet swung vigorously in her grasp and her feet slapped the marble floor loudly, but Baileywick did not appear to scold her for staying up past her bedtime.

When she at last reached the top of the tower, Amber panted exhaustedly and used the last bit of her strength to knock on the wooden door to Cedric's room.

Cedric immediately swung the door open and the snatched the amulet from Amber's hands.

"Yes! The amulet is m--" Cedric screamed with joy until he felt Amber's eyes watching him in bewilderment. "Ahem, I mean, let's get back to the potion."

Amber entered the room and found James standing by a black cauldron filled with a silvery gooey substance. The substance bubbled and hissed.

"Amber, quick, give me a piece of your hair!" James said urgently. "I already put mine in."

He plucked out a piece of golden hair from his sister's head and tossed it into the potion. The contents of the cauldron bubbled and hissed more violently, but this time, it radiated a golden glow.

"Cedric, the amulet," James said, turning to him.

Cedric realized he had been rubbing the magical jewel greedily against his cheek. He looked at the children in embarrassment.

"Right," he said, composing himself. Cedric knew the amulet really wasn't part of the ingredients, but he couldn't suddenly change his mind in front of the children. He didn't even care if Amber and James reunited with their real mother, but he had always wanted to try a resurrection potion, so he didn't want to mess it up with an unnecessary ingredient.

He eyed the twins nervously who were standing so near the cauldron. He needed a distraction.

"Ah! How about I produce a fake amulet first so Princess Sofia doesn't suspect that her real one is gone?"

"Brilliant idea, Cedric!" James cried with glee.

Cedric cleared his throat. He lifted his wand in the air and chanted, "Doppler duplicato!"

With the flick of his wand, he created a copy of the amulet and held it up to the light. "See? It's exactly the same. Every last inch of it." Cedric smiled with pride.

Amber examined the amulet copy and realized it did not have the same glint as the real one.

"Oh dear, would you look at the time!" Cedric suddenly exclaimed. "Goodnight, children! Off to bed now! Shoo! Shoo! I'll be sure to inform you when the potion is ready!"

"Wait, Cedric--" Amber began.

"The potion--" James added.

But it was too late. Cedric had shoved them out the door and locked it firmly.

"Sheesh. What was that all about?" said James angrily.

"James, do you think Sofia will find out that this amulet is fake?" Amber suddenly asked, examining the amulet from all angles.

"Of course not! Even Cedric himself said every inch of it is exactly the same."

"But something about this seems different..."

Amber held up the fake amulet to the moonlight and turned it, looking for that same glint.

Silence.

James broke it. "You're acting kinda weird. Anyway, goodnight. You'd better sleep too. See ya."

His footsteps echoed down the stone staircase.

Amber continued examining the jewel under the moonlight and in the emerald glow of the tower until sleepiness overcame her.

She too headed down the stone staircase, the steps cold beneath her feet. She walked past the paintings and past the pillars until she reached the corridor.

She paused at Sofia's door. She opened a small crack just enough to see if she was still soundly asleep. Then, with slow, quiet footsteps, Amber reached into her pocket  for the fake amulet and fixed it onto Sofia's neck.

Suddenly, Amber's hairs stood on end. The sound of footsteps filled the hallway. Through a small crack in the door, Amber checked to to see who it was.

She made out a thin figure clad in a black suit and lavender pants holding a dim candle.

Baileywick.

So he wasn't asleep after all, thought Amber. Did he check my room to see if I was asleep? But never mind that, what is he doing here so late at night? Did he perhaps catch James and decide to guard his room?

Once he turned away, Amber tiptoed quickly but quietly into her room and shut the door immediately. She threw herself onto her bed and slept beneath the silky blankets.

--

Cedric turned to the Amulet of Avalor. He picked it up with cautious but excited, tremulous fingers and wrapped it around his scrawny neck. With a click, he closed the clasp. At last, he would be king. All the power would be his and those royal brats would bow to his feet. But he made sure to hide the purple jewel beneath his collar.

No one could know the royal sorcerer was now the owner of the Amulet of Avalor.