The School Years Complete Collection. Soman Chainani

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      The prince’s face didn’t change.

      “I know it’s a bit early, but a girl does have to plan,” Sophie pressed.

      Beatrix shoved in. “No room for Nevers.”

      “What? There’s plenty of room,” Sophie huffed—

      But Reena jostled her, then six other girls, and Sophie was pushed out of the circle entirely. She whirled to Tedros to defend her.

      “Can you go away?” he said, eyes on his marble. “You’re blocking my view.”

      Agatha smirked as Sophie stomped towards her.

      “Easy as pie, hmm?”

      Sophie blew past her—

      “Humble pie!” Agatha shouted.

      “It’s the hair!” Sophie sobbed.

      “It’s not the hair!” Agatha said as they trudged through the Blue Forest gates. “You need to make him like you first! Otherwise we’ll never get home!”

      “It’s supposed to be love at first sight. That’s how fairy tales work!”

      “Time for Plan B.”

      “Then again, he didn’t say no,” Sophie said hopefully. “Perhaps it didn’t go so badly.”

      Dot rushed up. “Everyone’s saying you called Tedros a liar, threw poo in his face, and licked his feet!”

      Sophie turned to Agatha. “What’s Plan B?”

      They arrived with the rest of their Forest Group to find eight glass coffins nestled in turquoise grass.

      “Each week, we’ll repeat the challenge to discern Good from Evil, since it is the most crucial skill you will take into the Woods,” Yuba announced. “Today we’ll test the Evers. Given the fascination with yesterday’s burials, I thought we’d give you a taste of your own.”

      With that, he made Evergirls and Nevergirls climb into the open coffins and with a swish of his staff, turned all eight into identical dark-haired princesses with big hips, round backsides, and trouty lips.

      “I’m obese,” Sophie gasped.

      “Look, this is your chance,” Agatha said, remembering Princess Uma’s words. “If Tedros is your greatest wish, he’ll be pulled towards you! He’ll know you’re his true love!”

      “But Beatrix will wish for him too!”

      “You have to wish harder! Focus on what you love about him! Focus on what makes him yours!”

      Yuba slammed the glass lids on both girls and jumbled the eight coffins. “Now study the maidens carefully and search for signs of Good,” he said to the boys. “Once you’re sure you’ve found an Ever, kiss her hand and her true nature will be revealed!”

      The Everboys warily ventured towards the coffins—

      “We want to play too.”

      Yuba turned to Hort and the Neverboys, chomping at the bit.

      “Mmm, I suppose it’ll give our girls incentive to behave,” said the gnome.

      Inside the coffins, eight plump princesses stiffened as both Good and Evil boys wandered around them. Hort snuck to a blue mint bush, stepped over a snacking skunk, and tore off a few leaves. He saw Ravan staring.

      “What? I like being fresh,” said Hort, munching mint.

      “Hurry up and make your choices!” Yuba barked.

      In her coffin, Agatha wished Tedros would look deep into Sophie’s heart and see who she truly was. …

      In her coffin, Sophie closed her eyes and thought of everything she loved about her prince. …

      Tedros, meanwhile, didn’t want any of these girls. But just as he was about to bag the challenge, he felt his eyes drawn to the third coffin. Something pulled him towards its maiden, even though she looked just like all the rest. A warmth, a glow, a spark of energy pulsing between them. Yes, something was there. Something he hadn’t noticed before. One of these girls was more than what she seemed. …

      “Time’s up!” Yuba said.

      Agatha heard a bloodcurdling shriek and spun to Sophie, back in her body, lips scrunched against Hort’s.

      Hort released her. “Oh, the hand. Oops.” He popped another mint leaf. “Should we start again?”

      “You APE!” Sophie kicked him and he crashed into the mint bush, onto the snacking skunk, which raised its tail and sprayed him in the eyes. Hort staggered around, ramming into coffins—“I’m blind! I’m blind!”—until he smashed into Sophie’s again, which slammed shut, sealing his skunked body in with hers. Aghast, Sophie rammed the glass, but it wouldn’t budge.

      “Rule #5. Nevers don’t trifle with love,” Yuba crabbed. “Fitting punishment. Now come, boys, let’s see who you’ve picked.”

      Agatha heard her own coffin open. She turned and saw Tedros lift her thick hand towards his tender lips. Stunned, Agatha kneed him in the chest. Tedros fell back, bashed his head on the coffin top, and slumped to the ground. Everboys crowded around him, and princess clones jumped from their coffins to help, while Yuba conjured a block of ice for the prince’s skull. In the chaos, Agatha slipped out of her coffin and into the one next to it.

      Tedros staggered up, with no intention of letting his princess go.

      Yuba grimaced. “Perhaps you should sit do—”

      “I want to finish.”

      With a sigh, Yuba nodded at the clones, who climbed back into the coffins and closed their eyes.

      Tedros remembered it was the third coffin. He lifted the jeweled glass over its maiden and kissed her hand with confidence. The princess melted into Beatrix, smiling imperiously—Tedros dropped her hand like a hot stone. In the next coffin, Agatha sighed with relief.

      The wolves howled in the distance. As the class followed Yuba back to school, Agatha stayed behind with Sophie.

      “Come, Agatha,” Yuba called. “This is Sophie’s lesson to learn.”

      Agatha glanced back to see Sophie sealed in with Hort, holding her nose as she screamed and kicked the glass. Maybe the gnome was right. Tomorrow her friend would be ready to listen.

      “She’ll survive,” she muttered, following the others. “It’s only Hort.”

      But Hort wasn’t the problem.

      The problem was that Sophie had seen Agatha switch coffins.

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