follows it wherever it goes. Now heâll stop the pen from writing âThe Endâ to your storyâuntil he has his new ending.â
Agathaâs stomach went cold. âWhatâs the new ending?â she rasped.
Lady Lesso stared through her. âKilling Sophie.â
Sophie slowly lifted her eyes, red and raw.
âTedros believes killing Sophie will fix your fairy tale as it should have been,â said Professor Dovey. âThe witch dies. The princess free to her prince. Your ending rewritten, just like Agatha wished.â
Agatha couldnât breathe under Sophieâs scorching stare.
âWhy donât you save Tedros the trouble?â Sophie hissed. âKill this witch yourself.â
âThat would solve everything,â sighed Professor Dovey.
Both girls turned.
âOh dear,â said their teacher. âDid I say that out loud?â
âSheâll die soon enough,â Lady Lesso snarled. âTedros counted on Sophie coming here for protection. Now he and his army will come to kill her.â
âArmy?â Agatha blanched. âHe has an army?â
âYouâve forgotten about his school,â said Lady Lesso.
Agatha swung her head to the window. Through the sheets of rain, she could see the red hoods skulking around Evilâs towers, in black leather uniforms crested with scarlet snakes and shiny black boots. Slowly she lowered her eyes to the gate on the castle shores, rusted iron words arched over it:
T HE S CHOOL FOR B OY
V ENGEANCE AND R ESTITUTION
âOne wish has so many consequences, doesnât it?â Lady Lesso said, leering at Agatha. âTedros has promised whoever kills Sophie half his fatherâs treasure as a reward. Needless to say, both the Ever and Never boys took up the challenge.â
âAs did all those princes outside,â Professor Dovey said, watching the filthy masses swarming the gates. âTedros knows he canât attack us with just his school. Our teachers wouldnât give up Sophie without a fight.â
âSo heâs using the princes to force our hand,â Lady Lesso groused. âI cast a shield around the perimeter of both schools to keep them out. But if the princes get through, Tedros will have enough men to storm our castle and kill Sophie.â
Agatha stared out at the red fortress, still numb. âThe Storianâs in a boysâ school ?â
âEither free it and get Sophie home alive . . . or kiss Tedros before he kills her.â Professor Dovey met Agathaâs shocked eyes. âKiss your prince and mean it, and youâll stay here with him Ever After. Sophie will be gone from your story forever . . . and vanish home alone.â
âHome alone ?â Sophie gasped as if sheâd been shot. âGavaldon alone ? While she gets . . . him ?â
âThese are the only two endings that can prevent war,â Professor Dovey said.
The only sound in the room was the echo of murderous princes.
Sophie gave Agatha a horrible look and curled back into her ball.
Tedros , Agatha gritted. How could she wish for a boy whoâd take love this far? How could she wish for a boy whoâd kill her best friend? Her old witchy self would never have let this happen.
âThird option,â she said, storming to the door. âTell Tedros heâs a delusional ass.â
âNo.â
Agatha turned.
âYou wished for him,â Sophie spat, blotched with rage. âAnd you want me to trust you two alone ?â
Agatha stepped back. Sophie looked even more a witch than she did in the graveyard.
âI wonât intervene in your loversâ quarrel, but I suggest Agatha make her choice soon,â Lady Lesso snapped. âOnce Tedros breaks the princes through my shield, all our lives will be in danger.â
âWeâll hide you and Sophie in the Blue Forest until you have a plan,â Professor Dovey said to