The School Years Complete Collection. Soman Chainani

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СКАЧАТЬ Princess Sophie.

      Just a ghost. Sophie gritted her teeth and felt her finger burn once more.

      “You look like a stranger,” said the princess, blushing.

      Colder than you thought possible …

      Sophie pointed her glowing finger at her.

      “Mother said never talk to strangers,” said the princess anxiously.

      Say it!

      Sophie’s fingertip flickered—she couldn’t find the words—

      “I should go. Mother’s calling.”

      Kill her! Kill her now!

      “Goodbye,” said the princess, closing her door—

      “BANTA PAREO DIROSTI!”

      Poof! The princess turned into a chicken. Sophie grabbed it in her arms, hurled a chair, shattering the iced window, and flung the bird into open sky—

      “Fly, Sophie! You’re free!”

      The chicken tried to fly, then realized it couldn’t, and plummeted to its death.

      “For the first time, I feel sorry for an animal,” Lady Lesso said.

      Another “15” spat in Sophie’s face.

      Perhaps the only thing Sophie liked about the School for Evil was that there were plenty of places to cry. She tucked behind a crumbling arch and sobbed. How would she ever face Tedros?

      “We insist you remove Sophie from the Trial.”

      Sophie recognized the gruff voice as Professor Manley’s. She crept out of the archway and peeked through the keyhole into his putrid classroom. But where the rusted seats normally were filled with villains, now they were occupied by the faculty of both schools. Professor Dovey presided at the dragon-skull lectern, which she’d brightened with a pumpkin paperweight.

      “The Nevers plan to kill her, Clarissa,” finished bald, pimpled Manley.

      “Bilious, we have secure measures in place to prevent a student’s death.”

      “Let’s hope they’re more secure than four years ago,” he shot back.

      “I think we are all in agreement that Garrick’s death was an accident!” Professor Dovey flared.

      The room was ominously silent. In the hall, Sophie could hear her own shallow breaths.

      Garrick of Gavaldon. Taken with Bane.

      Bane had failed. Garrick had died.

      Her heart rattled against her ribs.

      Getting home alive is our happy ending.

      Agatha was right all along.

      “There is another reason Sophie must be removed from the Trial,” Castor said soberly. “The fairies say she and the Everboy plan to act as a team.”

      “As a team?” Professor Dovey gaped. “An Ever and a Never?”

      “Imagine if they won!” shrieked Professor Sheeks. “Imagine if word got out in the Woods!”

      “So either she dies or destroys this school,” Manley groused and spat on the floor.

      “Clarissa, this is an easy decision,” said Lady Lesso.

      “But there’s no precedent for removing a qualified student from a Trial!” Professor Dovey protested.

      “Qualified! She flunked every challenge this week!” said Manley. “The boy has convinced her she’s Good!”

      “Perhaps she’s just feeling the pressure of the Trial,” offered Princess Uma, feeding a quail on her shoulder—

      “Or she duped us all into thinking she was Evil’s great hope!” Professor Sheeks said. “She should have failed before the Trial!”

      “Then why didn’t she?” Professor Anemone asked.

      “Every time we tried to fail her, another student got last place instead,” Manley said. “Someone stopped her from failing!”

      Evil teachers clamored in furious agreement.

      “Makes perfect sense,” Professor Dovey said over them. “Some mysterious busybody, who no one has ever seen, flits through your tower, meddling with your ranks.”

      “You describe the School Master quite well, Clarissa,” said Lady Lesso.

      “Don’t be ridiculous, Lady Lesso. Why would the School Master interfere with a student’s ranks?”

      “Because he’d love nothing better than to see Evil’s ‘best’ student win behind Good’s shield,” Lady Lesso hissed, violet eyes strobing. “A student who even I foolishly thought had hope. But if Sophie wins with that pathetic prince, I will not stand by, Clarissa. I will not allow the School Master, nor you and your arrogant beasts, to destroy my life’s work. Hear me now. Let Sophie compete in that Trial and you are risking more than just her life. You are risking war.”

      The room went dead silent.

      Professor Dovey cleared her throat. “Perhaps she can compete next year—”

      Sophie slumped in relief.

      “You cave to Evil!” Professor Espada cried.

      “Only to protect the girl—” Dovey said weakly—

      “But the Everboy will still love her!” Anemone warned.

      “A week in the Doom Room will fix that,” said Lady Lesso.

      “Still can’t find the Beast,” said Sheeba—

      “Then get a new one!” Lady Lesso snarled.

      “How about a vote?” chirped Uma.

      “VOTES ARE FOR SISSIES!” Castor roared, and teachers burst into a rumpus. Uma’s quail poop-bombed the Evil teachers, Castor tried to eat the bird, and Pollux managed to lose his head again, before someone whistled with loud authority. Everyone turned to the man standing in the corner of the burned room.

      “This school has one mission and one mission only,” said Professor Sader. “To protect the balance between Good and Evil. If Sophie’s participation in the Trial disturbs this balance, then she must be disqualified immediately. Luckily for us, the proof of this balance is in front of your eyes.”

      Everyone’s gaze shifted. Sophie tried to see what they were looking at, then realized they were all looking in different directions.

      “Are we in agreement the balance is intact?” said Professor Sader.

      No one argued.

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