Flunked (Fairy Tale Reform School, #1)(48)
I haven’t been in Flora’s office since that day I stole a scroll to see what she had planned for the ball. Before that, I was there the day I arrived at FTRS. “I think I’ll stand.”
Flora nods. “Understandable.” She threads her fingers together. “I believe you all have some questions for me.” The five of us start talking at once. Flora holds up her hand. “Maybe I should go first,” she suggests, and runs a hand through the tight bun in her hair. “I assume you want to know if your teachers were working with Alva.” The room is so quiet you can hear Maxine’s patent leather shoes tapping. “Well, the answer is yes.” Maxine inhales sharply. “Just not in the way you think.”
Flora rises and steps around her desk, much as she did the day I arrived at FTRS. Her dark gray gown makes her look like she’s in mourning. “We knew she had things planned for the royals and Enchantasia. What we didn’t know was what. We met with her when we could in the Hollow Woods, making it seem as if we were ready to join forces with her. Sadly, it seems Professor Harlow wanted to for real.” She looks at me intently. “This was not a matter we wanted our students entangled in. Your safety is our utmost concern, and going up against Alva at the ball was foolish.” She purses her lips. “That said, without you and Professor Wolfington, none of us might be here today.”
“Are you going to tell Happily Ever After Scrolls how awesome we were?” Ollie asks eagerly, rubbing his arm where it was bandaged after Jocelyn’s shield singed him. “Or pardon us and let us leave early like Harlow was going to do with Gilly?”
Headmistress Flora shakes her head. “I’m afraid that wouldn’t be wise. Alva knows who you are now, and the safest place for you is here at FTRS with us.”
Alva is coming for me. She pretty much said that. And no one I know is safe until she’s taken care of. I think of how we fared against her when we worked together. Kayla’s wings got damaged from Harlow’s magic and she won’t be flyable for a while. Maxine got away with a slight concussion. I have some more nicks and bruises, and Jax had some rocks fall on him during the explosion and is on crutches. Still, we’re alive.
“Have you heard from Professor Wolfington?” Maxine asks. “I always liked him, even if he did try to bite me in the dungeon.”
Flora shakes her head. “He’ll resurface when he’s ready. I know he is inconsolable about letting his dark side out. It isn’t easy letting the world see the monster you once were and hoped to never be again.”
“Professor Harlow has no problem with that,” I mumble.
Flora raises an eyebrow. “No, I’m afraid she doesn’t. Hence her living assignment in the dungeon until further notice.”
“I can’t believe you let Jocelyn go,” Jax complains. “She practically let Harlow kill Gilly!”
“Jocelyn is a troubled girl,” Flora agrees, “but she has assured me she was not aware of her sister’s actual doings with Alva.” We start to protest, but Flora cuts us off. “Until I know otherwise, it is my job to believe her. She will stay here as a student—under my watchful eye, of course.”
I’m not sure that’s smart, but we have bigger problems than Jocelyn. No one knows when Alva will strike again or what she has planned next. Jax hasn’t been able to find out anything from his father. He’s made us swear not to blow his cover with Flora. For now, we have to keep some secrets of our own. I’m sure the formerly Wicked Stepmother is doing the same.
“My job is to watch over all of my students, including you, Kayla.” Flora puts a hand on Kayla’s shoulder. “I know all about your deal with Rumpelstiltskin, and I promise that together we will find a way to lift the spell on your family.”
Kayla tears up. “Thank you.”
“So what’s our next move?” I ask.
“Your next move is to go back to being students,” Flora says. “Take a day off from all these dark doings and have fun.”
Fun? We look at her like she’s grown three heads.
“Miri, tell them what I have planned,” Flora says.
Miri’s brass mirror begins to glow. “There’s a picnic lunch set up in the garden and a game of dodgeball waiting to be had in the courtyard, which has just been cleared of debris. And I’m told the ice cream is melting, so you don’t want to wait too long to get out there.”
“I’m up for that!” Ollie cheers.
“Good! Now go before I change my mind and have you write a paper!” Flora jokes. I never thought I’d see the day. “Oh, but first, I have something for Gillian.” She pulls a note with a royal seal out of her desk drawer. We gather around to read it.
Miss Gillian Cobbler, thank you for your help once again in keeping evil at bay. Flora has told us of your father’s shoemaking woes. Because of that, we would like to commission all glass slippers for the royal palace from his shop from now on.
—Princess Ella
“Wow. Does that mean someone in the royal family is actually nice?” Jax says, feigning shock as he shifts from one crutch to the other. “Who would have thought that would happen?”
I give him a look. “Thanks,” I say, blushing as I look at our headmistress. “I’m sorry for calling you a stepmonster. And for, you know, thinking you were a villain again. I still have a lot of questions though.”