Monster High: Season of the Witch

Halloween Blues

After that dreadful night, Beatrix had faced the headmistress alone.

She'd confessed to using magic on Johannah and Mr. Gore (without specifying what kind) and explained she was only trying to help Jackson.

Bloodgood had none of it.

You had one chance to make things work here, Bloodgood had scolded, bringing out the employee termination papers. 

Beatrix had been prepared to leave campus that night.

However, Grey had abruptly entered Bloodgood's office.

I left them unattended. This is my fault, Grey had said.

At first, Bloodgood interrogated Grey about why he'd left the field trip early, but when Grey didn't answer, Bloodgood hadn't pressed further.

It was like there was something they both knew that Beatrix didn't.

The witch was reckless and stupid, Grey had continued. Still, under the circumstances, she did what she thought she had to. There wasn't malicious intent.

Bloodgood had frowned. You're saying Ms. Ravenwood should get off scot-free? After breaking the one rule she was forbidden from breaking?

No, but there's something more important at hand, Grey had reasoned. Vampires almost killed her and Guillermo, and she saved two human lives—even if by accident. Gather the school board members to investigate this. Let them determine if she should stay.

Beatrix added, If Bram and Vilhelm are bold enough to attack humans in a city, they're bold enough to kill a student like Gilda Goldstag in the woods.

Bloodgood had conceded. Fine. Ms. Ravenwood, you'll plead your case before the board. Your magic-usage could forever taint our school's image, so until the trial, don't say a word of these events to anyone.

To compensate for the trouble she'd caused, Bloodgood had assigned Beatrix janitorial duties on top of her creepateria shifts.

Now Beatrix was responsible for cleaning every attic on campus.

Although it was only 6:00 in the evening, Beatrix had already collapsed into bed to recover from a grueling day of work.

At least being a janitor is a better fate than being sent home.

She hadn't gotten many letters from her aunts lately, which was likely a sign they'd given up on controlling her.

However, Beatrix still received witchy magazines.

Since she was young, a periodical from Maleficium Monthly arrived every month, which contained news from the witch community.

Beatrix flipped through the most recent edition. The major stories always covered the devils witches served.

According to the headlining article, Cassia the Conniving—the demon duchess of the fifth circle of Hell—had recently attended her son's graduation from the Legions of Hell Military Institute. He'd received top honors in his combat training class. In a photo, two sharp horns protruded from Cassia's son's forehead, his skin a deep shade of crimson.

He looked exactly as Beatrix expected: powerful, cruel, and haughty. Soon this devil would select a witch to serve him.

Beatrix sighed and rolled onto her side.

Someone was at the foot of her bed.

Their neck tilted forward at an unnatural angle.

"Holy hells!" Beatrix jolted.

"I need help."

Beatrix hadn't even heard Autumn come in.

The scarecrow sat down and pulled back her straw hair. The back of her neck was ripped.

"Whoah! What happened?" Beatrix climbed out of bed and grabbed replacement hay from Autumn's closet.

"Toralei accidentally scratched me during practice," Autumn said.

"Accidentally, huh?"

"Toralei isn't a bad ghoul. I think we're becoming friends."

"Unlikely."

Autumn furrowed her brow, uncomfortable about bad-mouthing her teammate, so Beatrix moved on. "Sorry I couldn't make it to your practice today. I lost track of time in the math building's attic. That place is as grimey as Aunt Constance."

"It's okay. I can handle myself for an hour of fearleading."

Except you almost snapped your neck in half, Beatrix thought. She stuffed hay into Autumn's wound and stitched her up.

"You really should work in the infirmary," Autumn joked.

"Just what I need: another job here," Beatrix groaned.

Despite Bloodgood's demand that Beatrix keep her lips sealed, Beatrix had told Autumn about Holt escaping, and putting Mr. Gore and Johannah to sleep.

However, Beatrix hadn't told Autumn that she'd paired the sleeping elixir with a siren song.

She'd also left out the vampire attack. If anyone heard about the vampire mayhem before the school board investigation, there'd be an uproar.

"I'm so annoyed. Bloodgood told the lunch ladies to watch me like a hawk so I don't cast any spells in the creepateria," Beatrix complained. "Like I would ever do that..."

"Can you blame them?" Autumn asked, feeling along the new seam on her neck. "You promised to not practice witchcraft. That's the only reason why you're allowed here."

"I had to do something!" Beatrix countered.

"Did you? You didn't catch Holt, and Jackson got in trouble despite you intervening," Autumn said.

"I know, but even Grey said I did the best I could under the circumstances."

"Grey? The guy who got suspended last year and told everyone you were a witch? He's bad news, Bea!"

"Grey's just... standoffish," Beatrix said.

"What if you get kicked out? I can't do this without you," Autumn's lip quivered and tears welled in her eyes.

Beatrix hugged Autumn to calm her down. "It'll be okay."

As Autumn gathered herself, something buzzed in her pocket.

Beatrix's eyes went wide as Autumn pulled out an iCoffin. "Where'd that come from?"

"Draculaura bought it for me so I can be in the group chat." Autumn read a message from Frankie. "There's a bonfire tonight!"

"Bad idea," Beatrix said, picturing Autumn's straw body getting too close to the flames.

"You're coming with me, so it'll be fine!"

"There's no way Cleo wants me there."

"Frankie knows you're always my plus one," Autumn gave an unassuming smile. "Tonight you and Cleo should put your differences aside."

Beatrix crossed her arms.

"C'mon! It's All Hallows Eve!" Autumn begged.

Then Beatrix remembered how much she'd put the scarecrow through recently, so she gave in.