People glide around the room, switching directions. There’s a lot of clapping and slapping one’s heel and snapping of fingers at just the right moment, but I’m pretty sure I couldn’t master this dance even with a year’s worth of detention.
The only one partnerless is Jocelyn, not that she seems concerned. With a quick poof, a shadow appears in front of her, taking the outline of a boy. Madame Cleo looks over at Jocelyn curiously but doesn’t say anything. I guess being the Evil Queen’s sister means you can get away with a lot. Jocelyn takes the shadow’s nonexistent hands and begins to dance around the room. She bangs into me on her way by and I fall into Jax.
“Don’t let her rattle you,” Jax says.
Before I can say anything, we have to switch partners again and I’m with Helmut.
“You’re the new girl, right?” says Helmut, who looks more terrified than impressed. “I got caught breaking into the Enchantasia Market one too many times. I have a thing for the baker’s cinnamon rolls.” He blushes. “What are you in for?”
“Kind of the same thing,” I say, wincing as Helmut steps on both my feet. “Family’s got to eat, you know. I took what I needed to survive.”
“I thought cobblers just ate shoe leather,” Jocelyn says as she and her shadow dance by us.
I’ve had enough of this one. “I never have, but if you want to try eating leather, I’m happy to shove some down your throat.” Helmut gulps loudly.
Jocelyn smiles eerily. “Students who shoot their mouth off to me don’t last long.”
I stop dancing. “Are you threatening me?” Helmut slowly backs away. “I thought FTRS was all about reforming yourself.”
Jocelyn smiles evilly. “It is, but who’s to say who we’re reforming ourselves into next? Stop snooping around this school or believe me, thief, you’ll regret it.” I feel a chill go down my spine. “I have powers you can’t even dream of.”
“I’m not scared,” I say as Jax tugs on my arm to steer me away.
Jocelyn’s eyes narrow. “You will be when you see what I can do. Watch.” Her lips begin to move and a glow emits from her eyes. Jax shoves me out of the way, but he needn’t bother. I’m not the one Jocelyn is toying with. Gayle lets out an ear-piercing scream and her troll partner flies backward, hitting one of the torches on the wall, which falls and causes a small fire that short-circuits the music. Students see Jocelyn chanting and run for cover, but Helmut begins to wail and falls to the floor. Within seconds, most of my classmates are low to the ground, covering their ears. Her spell has affected everyone but Jax and me.
“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.