Don't Mess With Time

Chapter Thirty-One

Agatha and Tedros reappeared in the clearing, cuts and deep gashes running up and down their body.

Tedros' shirt was in tatters and Agatha wanted to attack all the Ever (and Never) girls that were watching him with distracted expressions.

It was weird.

The Evers and Nevers were closer than usual as they watched the Trial.

Kiko was actually asleep with a somewhat worried look on her face despite her slumber.

Her head was on Dot's shoulder and the Never made a soothing sound as Kiko grumbled in her sleep, moving a bit fitfully.

The Evers were pretty upset that the two they had believed to be their best chance at winning had been disqualified.

Agatha wondered whether Beatrix and Reena were still in the Trial and her gaze wandered over to the leaderboard-

But before she could look at it she caught sight of Sophie standing a few feet away.

Her eyes widened and she sprinted over.

She almost fell due to her cuts and other bruises she had earned from the trees and several other traps they had come across and overcome.

She took Sophie's face between her hands and looked her over with worried eyes.

She angled the other girl so she could see if there were cuts on her arms.

When she saw there weren't, she let out a breath of relief and pulled her best friend in for a bone crushing hug.

Sophie was surprised to say the least, but she hugged Agatha back fiercely.

She was clearly worried for the other girl, but something else was on her mind and Agatha wondered what could be upsetting her.

Could it be that she was worried for Hort?

Had she finally grown feelings for the weasel of a boy?

Agatha found those chances to be slim and wondered if she could be instead focusing on her students in the Trial at the moment.

But she didn't think that was it.

Then her mind wandered to how she had come to sit with her during lunch and would always be glancing at a certain dark-skinned Ever...

She pulled back and gaped at Sophie.

Her friend frowned in confusion and opened her mouth to speak, but Agatha was first.

"You like Nicola," she breathed.

She made sure to say it quietly despite her shock.

She didn't want her friend to be embarrassed because she shouted it out loud.

Sophie turned red and looked down shyly.

"How hard were the challenges?"

"They were pretty bad. We saw you in there," Tedros said, having just limped over here.

He put a hand on Agatha's shoulder.

It was equal parts to steady himself and to support her.

There were loud footsteps behind them and they turned to see Professor Dovey running up with nymphs flanking her.

She grabbed the two of them and led them to the medical tent, making sounds whenever she saw the deep cuts that lined them up and down (and the black eye that Tedros was forming).

Agatha glanced over her shoulder at Sophie and caught sight of the leaderboard.

Her jaw dropped in disbelief.