Agatha, pulling a ring of keys. âNone of the girls can know youâve come.â
Agatha looked up, dazed. âWhy not?â
âBecause unlike your two teachers, they think this is the best thing thatâs ever happened,â said a honey-smooth voice.
The two professors and two girls turned to see a tall, ravishing woman push through the door, milky smooth and full-bosomed in a teacherâs electric-blue dress decorated with a pattern of butterflies. She had a waterfall of chestnut hair to her midback, forest-green eyes under thick dark brows, a luscious pink mouth, and a gap between her two shiny front teeth.
âMy brotherâs office?â she said, biting her bee-stung lips. âI wasnât aware it was where we held secret meetings.â
âItâs the only place we canât be overheard,â Lady Lesso returned, her voice oddly tentative.
âWell I do believe I should have been alerted to our honored guests,â the woman said breathily, turning to Sophie and Agatha. âAfter all, they are the reason this magnificent school exists.â
The two girls gawped at her.
âWeâve been meticulously preparing for your arrival,â said the stranger, knitting her arched brows. âAnd we nearly may have missed it.â She flashed a look at the two teachers.
Agatha shook her head. âBut how did you know we were comââ
âGoodness, you two look frightful,â the woman said, magically restoring their faces and dresses with her finger. Only Sophieâs dress magically lost its pink color too and drained blank white.
Sophie grabbed her hem. âWhat happened to myââ
âCome, girls.â The woman sashayed for the door. âWeâve put your books and schedules in your room.â
âSchedules!â Professor Dovey launched to her feet. âYouâre not thinking of them going to class, Evelyn!â
The woman twirled. âAs long as they are at my school, they will attend class and abide by the rules. Which includes staying in their school at all times. Surely you donât object to the rules ?â
Sophie and Agatha waited for the professors to indeed object, but Dovey and Lesso were curiously quiet, eyes on a pair of blue butterflies that had settled on the tips of their noses.
âI see our former deans neglected to inform you about the most important change at your new school,â the stranger said, smiling at the two girls. âEvelyn Sader. Dean of the School for Girls. Sorry for the hurry. I donât want to keep everyone waiting. Follow me, please.â
As she turned and swept through the door, Sophie saw the two butterflies land on her matching dress and vanish magically into its pattern. She let out a breath of surprise. âKeep who waiting?â
As more butterflies fell into her dress, the beautiful woman didnât look back.
â Your army,â she said, as if sheâd just listened to their entire conversation.
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6
Her Name Is Yara
â A n army dedicated to producing stories just like yours ,â said Dean Sader, clacking through the sun-washed breezeway from Valor to Honor in her blue-glass heels. âYour tale was just a taste of what princesses and witches can do together. Here you will lead an entire school!â
âA schoolââ Agatha choked, chasing her down the Honor stairs. âWe need to go home!â
âYou see, the former deans and I have a difference of opinion,â said Dean Sader as butterflies flew in from every direction and vanished into her dress. âThey think you must leave our world to find your happy ending together. And I think you must stay .â
âBut the boys are going to kill me!â Sophie said, bumping Agatha hard as she passedâ
âMmmm, letâs say you do