Flora unbuttons the brooch that clasps her tailored dress shirt closed and loosens her collar like this is all too much for her to handle. “And you two.” She points a finger at Azalea and Dahlia, who are fidgeting uncomfortably and keep banging into the shopping bags at their feet. Flora begins looking through their purchases. “I took away your Magic Express cards, and yet somehow here you both are with bags from Combing the Sea, Pinocchio’s Puppet Theatre, the Pied Piper’s Music Emporium, and Red’s Ready for Anything. What’s this?” She peers at the red lettering on the box as Macho and Mighty, Jax’s and my favorite Pegasi, neigh a warning from their nearby stall. “Learn How to Defend Yourself Kits? Boxes of glass slippers and new gowns? Your shopping habits have gotten out of control!”
“But, Mother,” Azalea whines, pulling at her pearls, “we’re the only two girls at the Royal Academy without glass slippers! Everyone has a Cobbler pair but us.”
A Cobbler pair? My name is famous! I’m starting to like this. Finally, our family has some respect.
“Too bad.” Flora takes the boxes from the girls and hands them to Blackbeard. I watch Madame Cleo cast a spell through the mirror and poof! The boxes disappear. Dahlia whimpers. “They’re mine for safekeeping,” the Wicked Stepmother says. “I won’t return them to the shop, because that would affect Gillian’s father’s sales, but you will not be receiving the shoes ’til you’ve learned your lesson about lying and spending.”
“A walk on the plank would work,” Blackbeard whispers in Flora’s ear. I see her wince. Pirates don’t have the best breath. “Have Cleo put a few sharks in the waters, and I promise those poppets will never touch a Magic Express card again.”
Azalea begins rummaging in the one bag Cleo’s charm missed. The Red’s Ready for Anything Kit is still there, and Azalea opens it and pulls out something called a Quick Cover Stink Bomb that I can only guess she’s about to toss his way.
“I can assure you, Miss Azalea, that the effects of that can in your hand are spotty at best,” Professor Wolfington says, looking anything but alarmed. “May I suggest saving that for an unsuspecting garden gnome, perhaps?” Wolfington should know. He’s tangled with Little Red Riding Hood before.
“Azalea, we do not spray teachers,” Flora says wearily. “And that kit is going back.” She turns to the pirate. “Thank you for the suggestion, Professor Blackbeard. I think I’ll save the plank for another day.”
“Aye. Suit yerself, lass.” Blackbeard looks disappointed.
Azalea raises her hand. “We aren’t reform school students.” She glares at me. “So can we be excused? We were just in the village to go shopping.”
Flora sighs. “Yes, but you should know that all of you students have two weeks of detention with Madame Cleo and Blackbeard.” We groan. “And, girls, I will be by your quarters later to speak to you further.” Azalea and Dahlia do a lot of huffing as they shuffle past us. I notice Azalea trying to hide a Pinocchio bag behind her hoop skirt, but Flora takes it out of her hands as she passes.
“How’d you even know we were missing?” I ask when they’re gone. That is the part I still don’t understand. It’s not like we had to check in, since there was no classes. I smell a rat.
“I told them.”
I turn my head toward the open stable doors and stare at the girl in black who has her arms folded across her chest. Jocelyn. (Professor Harlow always said a person’s stance gives their mood away. That’s one thing she was right about.)
“Why do you have to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong?” I snap.
“Me?” Jocelyn looks like I just told her black was the new pink. “You’re the one who Broke. Out. Of. The. School. I was doing you a favor! It’s dangerous out there with Alva on the loose, and you sure as bread crumbs can’t take care of yourself.”
I give an exaggerated laugh. “As if you’re worried about my safety.”
“I’m not worried about you,” Jocelyn snaps. “I’m worried you’ll lead the rest of your crew into harm’s way. You only worry about yourself.”
I wish she would stop saying that! “Yes, wanting to see your sister captured and Alva put out of commission to protect Enchantasia is very selfish,” I say sarcastically.
“Thanks to you, your sister has her first FTRS offense.” Jocelyn holds up a mini magical scroll as proof and I pale. They know Anna helped us? “Like I said, selfish. At least my sister puts me first. She went off to spy on Alva and kept me here where she knows I’ll be safe.”
Jax and I burst out laughing. “You think Harlow broke out to spy on Alva?” I ask, looking at Flora, whose expression is blank. “You really are as crazy as your sister.” Jocelyn lunges for me, and Blackbeard extends his sword to keep us both apart.
The Wicked Stepmother purses her lips. “Enough stalling! Why did you sneak out of school today?” No one answers. “Believe me, you do not want the amount of detention I will give if you don’t tell me what you were up to.”
I refuse to say anything. It’s just my way. Innocent until you can prove me guilty! I look at the others, hoping they’re just as strong as I am.
But Kayla cracks. “We wanted to talk to someone at Happily Ever After Scrolls because we think someone there knows who the mole is in the castle,” she blurts out.
The rest of us moan. “Kayla, remind me never to tell you my secrets,” Ollie complains.
Kayla makes a face. “No! I’ve lied for too long. This time I’m coming clean. They can help us.” She turns to Wolfington. “We’re pretty sure someone there is sending Maxine clues.”