Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School, #1)(29)
“Stop it!” I say, but Jocelyn ignores me. I turn to Jax. “We have to do something!” As I say the words, I can hear Jax’s earlier advice in my head. Just take care of yourself. But I can’t just stand here and watch others suffer because Jocelyn wants to teach me a lesson
“What is that sound?” Cleo cries, holding her ears. “Jocelyn, help me!”
The Sea Siren is seemingly blind to the fact Jocelyn is the one causing the noise. Kayla told me Cleo can’t handle loud sounds and it must be true. I watch as Cleo’s hair flashes pink, then purple, then green before she begins to scream so loudly that bubbles take over the tank and the floor actually begins to quake. Soon Cleo’s gentle demeanor is gone, and for a second I can see a flash of the sea siren she must have been. It’s pretty terrifying. And that’s before the tank begins to crack.
“She’ll drown us all!” an ogre says, pushing his way to the exit.
Jax beats him to it and I fear he’s abandoning us. Instead, he pulls out his pocket watch and zaps the lock. Students stream out of the room, Helmut helping Gayle to the door. In terror, a pixie flies by me and bangs into a wall. Jax scoops her up. All the while, Jocelyn continues to chant, a smug smile on her face.
When I look back, Madame Cleo has passed out and is floating in the middle of the tank. Enough is enough. I jump on Jocelyn’s back and try to knock her to the ground.
“Get off me!” Jocelyn yells, spinning around so fast I should fly off, but I have a great grip. (Father’s delivery horse, Lion’s Mane, is as wild as they come.) Jocelyn twists and bucks but I hang on. At least I’ve gotten her to stop chanting.
Suddenly we’re hit from the side and we fall to the floor. When I look up, Jax is holding the disco ball that was hanging from the ceiling.
“You’re going to regret this, thief.” Jocelyn holds her cheek, which is scratched and bleeding. “You too, farm boy. Those gargoyles are nothing compared to what you’ll see next.” Purple smoke rises around her and then she’s gone.
I’m still choking on the smoke when Jax gives me a hand and helps me up. “Now you owe me two favors.”
“I thought you didn’t like helping people,” I say in-between coughs.
Jax shrugs. “I figured keeping the whole class from drowning was more for my benefit than theirs. Fewer students in class mean more focus on me.” I shake my head.
Madame Cleo moans and we turn back to the tank. She’s starting to come to. I bang on it, knowing that’s the opposite of what you’re supposed to do to a fish tank, but I don’t know what else to do. “Madame Cleo? Are you okay?”
Cleo’s green eyes snap open like she’s in a trance. “Once a villain, always a villain,” she says in a monotone voice that sounds nothing like her own. “Evil is coming and it can’t be stopped. Enchantasia, beware…” Her mouth curves into a sinister smile. “Fairy Tale Reform School will burn.”
The hair on my arms stands up.
“She’s under some sort of spell.” Jax bangs harder on the glass. “Madame Cleo?”
Cleo’s eyes flutter wildly and then her body relaxes. “Darlings!” she smiles. “How good of you to come to detention. Is it just you two today?”
Jax and I look at each other. Did that really just happen?
“Uh, yeah,” Jax says.
“Great!” Madame Cleo smiles and pets a sea horse that swims by her. The thing is still trembling with fear from her recent outburst. “Then let’s dance, shall we?”
CHAPTER 12
Royal Day
“Good morning, Fairy Tale Reform School!” Headmistress Flora’s unusually cheery voice booms through the great hall. “Today is the day we’ve been waiting for. After five years, the princesses will be arriving any minute to visit our fine school!”
Cheers ripple through the packed student crowd (attendance was mandatory) like we’re at an über-popular Troll-tally Fantastic concert.
Flora has rolled out the red carpet—literally—for our royal guests. A gold “Welcome to Fairy Tale Reform School!” banner hangs over the great hall’s archway, and the FTRS band is practicing the royal processional while Happily Ever After Scrolls reporters stand anxiously near the school’s two-story front doors with quills and paper at the ready. We’re all standing at attention. Tanks have been set up along the back wall of the hall for the mer-students, and Madame Cleo has been beamed in on one of Miri’s mirrors. There’s even a fairyographer ready to capture the princesses’ arrival.
“I expect you to put your best foot—or fin—forward today,” Flora says. Professor Harlow and Professor Wolfington flank the headmistress, each in long, green embroidered robes, while Jocelyn—shocker—stands nearby.” We have a list of activities the royals will be attending, which you should have received this morning along with starched uniforms.”
My favorite work boots seem to have gone missing. The only shoes I could find this morning were the ugly, black standard ones we all wear.
Clever, Flora. Very clever.
“These uniforms itch,” grumbles Jax, who is standing next to me. His hair is slicked back, and the buttons on his shirt gleam even brighter than his shoes.
“They make us look good,” says Ollie as he makes his way through the crowd to reach us. I watch as he produces a crystal bottle from inside his shirt sleeve. A few feet away I hear someone say, “Hey! What happened to my cologne?” Ollie doesn’t blink an eye as he dabs away. The musky smell makes my eyes water. “You never know when one of these princesses is going to ditch her prince and go looking for a more worldly fella.”