Never After (School for Good and Evil x Reader)

Chapter 46

"Welcome to the School for New Evil," said Rafal.

In a black-marble foyer, boys and girls in crisp black uniforms and black berets marched by in perfect lines. Chins up, chests out, they stomped with steely stares, right-left, right-left, past the four glass staircases, now hued green. The boys were in belted leather breeches, half-sleeved black shirts with starched collars, narrow green ties, and thick-heeled boots, while the girls wore skin-hugging black pinafores over plunging green blouses, knee-high socks, and flat black slippers.

Two of the girls marched in front of me: green-skinned Mona and one-eyed, bald Arachne, tight lipped and eyes fixed ahead. Ravan was right behind them, his oily face scrubbed clean, his once long, matted hair clipped short and neat. Impish Vex tramped next to him, head shaved, spine straight, subtly picking at breeches wedged up his bottom.

I stiffened. Nevers clean. . . uniform. . . in straight lines?

I tried to catch more Nevers' faces beneath their berets, but the foyer was dark, holding them in shadow. The only lights seemed to come from fleeting flashes of green glow, dispersed over the army in sync with the march, as if there was an invisible swarm of fireflies keeping time.

Then I noticed another haze of green light over the Legends Obelisk, centered between the four staircases, crammed with student portraits. Looking for the source, I scanned up the high stained glass windows (once haloed visions of a white swan, now replaced with a glaring black swan) to the domed sunroof, sealed over with deadly stalactites, glowing snake-green like a malevolent chandelier. As my gaze roamed to the buffed staircases, shiny onyx arches, and ruthless marchers, I saw that Good's home and all that came with it—elegance, discipline, style— had been usurped entirely by Evil.

Suddenly, beneath the stalactites, I caught sight of another face in the Never army: a scared-looking boy with a big chest and hairy arms. Chaddick's gray eyes met mine, just as shocked to see me as I was to see him. Out of the corner of his lips he mouthed the word "Help"—before a burst of green firefly lights detonated near him, and he whipped his gaze forward, wincing with pain.

I slid along the wall, trying to catch a last look as he vanished into the wings. Chaddick? Good's most loyal sidekick? Why was he with Nevers?

But from my new vantage point, I saw more Evers in black uniforms spliced into the march: luscious, caramel-skinned Reena . . . tall, willowy Giselle . . . sleek dark-skinned Nicholas . . . redheaded, freckled Millicent . . . baby-faced Hiro . . . all trembly and tense as fireflies popped off around them like warning shots.

I turned back to the Legends Obelisk. The Evers' portraits, once smiling and kind, were painted with baleful scowls and sneers, matching the Nevers' frames, now jammed onto the same column.

"Evers learning . . . Evil?" I said, looking up at Rafal.

"Evers and Nevers both," the young School Master corrected. "A unified school, protecting the future of Evil." He surveyed his troops. "The students had to adjust to all being in the same castle, of course. More of them per room, more competition in classes . . . but if anyone has any complaints, I haven't heard them."

I squinted out the window, remembering the other tree tunnel. "But what's in the 'Old' school?"

Rafal eyed the rotted towers across Halfway Bridge. "If the School for New will write Evil's future, then the School for Old rewrites its past . . ." His pupils shot to mine, lizard quick. "But you are not to step foot in the School for Old. It is forbidden to all students and to you. Understand?" He stared me down, looking like a headmaster despite his youth.

I opened my mouth, about to argue, but he cut me off by placing a hand on my cheek.

"Like you said, there needs to be some sense of trust between us. Now I'm asking you to trust me," he said, gazing into my eyes.