Never After (School for Good and Evil x Reader)

Chapter 34

Sunlight glinted off the glass clock. It was well past seven now, dawn come and gone, replaced by a cold December morning.

Lying in bed, fully dressed, I watched Agatha sleep. Beatrix and Sophie had gone down to breakfast. The two of us were alone.

My ankles and wrists still stung where the spiricks had pinned me; my calves throbbed from the invisible race out of the boys' school: to the teachers' old balcony over the Clearing, past the two Everboy guards and down its buttress, into the girls' Tunnel of Trees, and back to my room. I'd shoved the cape with Hort's uniform under Beatrix's bed and slid beneath the sheets just as I heard Agatha climb in through the window . . .

And now we were here, side by side, like so many times before.

Only everything had changed.

I scoured Agatha's face, looking for the sister I had once known. But all I saw was a princess nose . . . snow-white skin . . . delicate lips that reached for a prince. . . .

A prince who hadn't kissed her.

Because of me.

I sickened with shame. I'd stopped Agatha's wish from coming true. I'd broken my sister's heart.

And yet, just as guilt swallowed me, I suddenly felt a glimmer of hope. . . .

I need more than a friend, Agatha had said.

But what if I could make Agatha happy again? What if I showed Agatha she didn't need Tedros? That family was greater than any Ever After with a prince?

Then keeping Agatha from Tedros would be worth it. Everything I'd done last night would be worth it. Because Agatha would wish for The End with me, and mean it.

If I can just get Agatha back.

Agatha opened her eyes. She saw me staring and visibly recoiled.

"How was last night?" I asked, clearing my throat.

"Oh. L-l-last night?" Agatha turned away and started grabbing pieces of her uniform off the floor. "It was long—you know—Dot talks a lot—" She hesitated. "You didn't, um, watch us, did you?"

"Fell asleep," I said, watching Agatha carefully. "But there was nothing to worry about, was there?"

Agatha's whole body went rigid.

"Eesh, smells like a furnace in here," I rambled as I buttoned one of Beatrix's long cloaks over my uniform.

"Y/n?"

"Mmm?"

"I have to tell you something."

I slowly raised my eyes.

Bloodcurdling screeches exploded in the hall, sending both of us cowering. I whirled to the door and yanked it open. Thick smoke flooded into the room as shadows of fleeing girls and butterflies ripped past, neon-haired nymphs floating behind them, shrieking alarm like banshees.

"What's happening!" Agatha gasped, grabbing Mona's arm.

"The princes! They broke the shield!"

Agatha and I spun to each other, stunned.

Pollux's voice blared from a distant bullhorn—"All girls to the gallery! Use the breezeways, not the foyer! I repeat—do not use the foyer!"

Agatha and I sprinted after Mona towards the breezeway from Honor to Valor, choking on acrid smoke.

"Where is it coming from?" I wheezed, waving it away. The blue breezeway in front of us was clogged with bodies, butterflies swarming above.

"Come on!" Agatha said, dragging me back towards the stairs. "We'll get there through the foyer—"