Never After (School for Good and Evil x Reader)

Chapter 10

"You die? That doesn't make any sense. You can't be the villain in our story if we're all friends."

"That's why the School Master said we can't be friends," Sophie replied. "Something has to come between us. Something that answers the riddle."

"What could possibly come between us?" Agatha said, still at a loss.

"Maybe it's all connected. This thing that Good has and Evil doesn't. Do you think it's why Good always wins?" I said.

"Evil used to win, according to Lady Lesso. But now Good has something that beats them all," Sophie said.

"But the School Master forbade us to return to his tower," Agatha pointed out. "So the answer to the riddle isn't a word or a thing or an idea—"

"We have to do something!" Sophie exclaimed.

"Now we're getting somewhere. First, it's something that can turn us against each other. Second, it's something that beats Evil every time. And third, it's something we can physically do—"

We spun to each other. "I got it," said Agatha—

"Me too," said Sophie—

"It's so obvious."

"So obvious."

"It's—it's—"

"Yes, it's—"

"No idea," Agatha said.

"Me either," sighed Sophie.

Across the field Everboys slowly trespassed into Evergirl territory. Girls waited like flowers to be picked, only to see Beatrix attract the lion's share. As Beatrix flirted with her suitors, Tedros fidgeted on a tree stump. Finally he stood up, shoved in front of the other boys, and asked Beatrix to take a walk.

"He was supposed to rescue me," Sophie whimpered, watching them go.

"Sophie, we have the chance to save our village from a two-hundred-year-old curse, to rescue children from beatings and failings, to escape wolves, waves, gargoyles, and everything else in this awful school, and to end a story that will kill you. And you're thinking about a boy?"

"I wanted my happy ending, Aggie," Sophie said, tears sparkling.

"Getting home alive is our happy ending, Sophie."

Sophie nodded, but her eyes never left Tedros.

***

Before Surviving Fairy Tales, the students of both schools found themselves summoned to an assembly in the Clearing.

"ATTENTION."

The entire faculty fanned between the two tunnels, including Castor and Pollux, whose heads had been reunited on their canine body.

Professor Dovey stepped forward. "There's been some—"

"MOVE YOUR HIDES, YOU LAZY COWS!" Castor barked.

The last Nevers hurried from their tunnel, with Sophie and I stumbling out last. I gave Agatha a confused look across the Clearing. Agatha shrugged back.

Professor Dovey opened her mouth to resume—

"PRESENTING CLARISSA DOVEY, DEAN OF THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF GOOD DEEDS," said Castor.

"Thank you, Castor," said Professor Dovey—

"ANY INTERRUPTIONS OR MISBEHAVIOR WILL BE SWIFTLY PUNISHED—"

"THANK YOU, CASTOR!" Professor Dovey shrieked.

Castor stared at his feet.

Professor Dovey cleared her throat. "Students, we have called you here because there have been some unfortunate rumors—"