I was still frowning when I made it to the balcony for lunch. But my disappointment was replaced with curiosity when I realized Rafal was acting. . .nervous. As I picked at my salmon, he fidgeted with the laces of his black shirt.
"Y/n, I was thinking . . . I've been asking for your loyalty without truly earning it first. Maybe we haven't spent enough time getting to know each other like um, normal young people . . ." He glanced at the other teachers on the balcony and the students on the ground, all sneaking peeks at him and me together. "So, uh, perhaps you and I could do that . . . I mean, spend time without other people around—like away from school, you know, like a . . . a . . ."
I raised my brows. "Date?"
"Right. Yes. Exactly." Rafal tugged at his sticky shirt. "I could take you on a tour over the Woods, maybe? You know, after everyone goes to sleep? Lady Lesso won't get on our case about going too fast and we can stay out as late as we want because—well, obviously. Wait until you see the Netherwood from really high up. With the trees all dead, it looks brilliant, like a devil-made scarecrow, and the stars over the Murmuring Mountains connect into a giant skull," he rambled, like a nerdy Neverboy. "Could even do it tonight, after supper . . . you know, get some time together without everyone watching us . . ."
I looked into his milky face, which seemed to be getting younger and younger by the moment. "I'd like that very much," I said, smiling.
Rafal grinned, relieved.
That evening, after dinner, as Rafal flew me back to his tower, I nestled into his arms, no longer doubting. The Storian had written nothing further of Tedros or Agatha, and for the first time, even Rafal wondered whether the two Evers had left the Woods entirely.
"Perhaps they came to their senses," he said as we landed in the chamber. He gave the Storian a cursory glance, still paused over a blank page. "Let me change and then we can go on our . . . our, you know . . ." His larynx bobbed. "I'll go change."
As he left, I looked in the mirror and tried to fix my hair, tangly from the ride over. I scrutinized every inch of my appearance, before I took a step back and realized what I was doing. Why was I nervous? This was Rafal.
"Ready?"
I jumped, startled. Rafal was leaning against the wall, arms folded, now clad in a different black ensemble.
He snickered at my reaction and held out a hand, all confidence again. "Come on, let's get out of here."
Rafal pulled me into his arms and shot out through the window like a loose firework. As we zoomed over the bay, the wind whipped my hair against my cheeks. We flew over Halfway Bridge, then the decaying forest, until finally we touched down upon the top of the cliffs overlooking the school.
I gasped.
The night was breathtaking. Stars spilled out over the purple and blue sky, so dark it seemed black. The moon was exceptionally bright. Light danced its way down, spreading over the mountains in a way that made them seem to have an arctic glow.
"Rafal," I breathed.
"I know." I could hear the smile in his voice. He took my hand and pulled me to the floor, where we settled on our backs, me nestling into his side.
As we looked up above, I couldn't help but be reminded of my stargazing date with Tedros. Then, I was focused on actively trying to win him over, all while battling the storm of guilt that raged within me.
But now. . .
I looked over at the boy beside me—his icy skin glowed a blue so pure it was almost white, lit by the moonlight streaming down. His glacier eyes reflected the galaxies of stars he was gazing at.
My heart swelled. This boy was mine, just as much as I was his.
"What are you thinking about?"
I blinked, jolted out of my thoughts. I realized that I had been openly staring at Rafal, who was now looking at me.
"Well," I said. "There's this boy."
"Oh?"
"Mhm."
He grinned, amused. "Please tell me about him."
"For one, he's handsome. Blue eyes, white hair, a very nice mouth." I traced his features lightly as I named them.
"He sounds like quite the catch," Rafal said against my fingertips.
"Oh he is, and he knows it too." I let my hand rest on his chest again. "But there's more to him than looks. He's given me everything—a home, a purpose. I can tell he truly loves me."
"Sounds like he's got it bad."
"He does," I said, kissing his cheek. Rafal grinned lazily.
I rested my head on his chest. "I love you."
"I will never get sick of hearing that." He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "And I love you, too."
The rest of our time there was spent in the same manner. We talked about anything and everything, while stealing kisses from one another in between.
When we got back to the tower, Rafal collapsed onto the bed. "So tired," he mumbled into the sheets.
I laughed and sat down beside him. "You're so dramatic."
"Am not!" He protested like a child, moving to a seated position on the edge of the bed.
"Before our first kiss, you literally decorated the tower with rose petals on the floor."
"I wanted you to feel special. And judging by the fact that you're hopelessly in love with me, I'd say it worked."
I rolled my eyes with a smile before I leaned in, kissing him delicately.
I pulled away, but Rafal chased my lips, pulling me back into another hasty kiss. Our kisses turned desperate, feverish. Somehow I found myself in his lap with no memory of getting there.
Rafal slipped a hand into my hair, cradling my head as he pulled it back, exposing my neck to him. I inhaled when his lips touched the skin there. He began leaving open-mouthed kisses along my neck, pulling down the sleeve of my shirt to have access to my shoulder as well. I gasped when his teeth caught on my collarbone.
He continued his affections. As he did, my mind went into almost a daze. He hit a sensitive spot on my neck, causing me to release another quiet gasp.
"Rafal," I breathed.
He kept kissing.
I rubbed my thighs together. "Rafal, please."
He pulled back, staring at me intently. "You're sure?"
I nodded.
"You're absolutely sure? Because—"
"Rafal," I groaned.
He chuckled. "Okay." He kissed my forehead. "You're so pretty when you want something, love."
Then he flipped me on my back, crawling on top of me, kissing me on and on and on. . .
A scratching sound echoed in the tiny room.
Rafal pulled back immediately, launching off the bed. In two seconds, he was across the room, peering at the Storian, which was writing furiously.
It took a few moments for me to cut through the fog that had settled over my mind. My thoughts were moving slowly, coming in like thick drops of honey.
I blinked. "Rafal? What is it?"
There was no response.
I padded over to where he was and glanced down at the storybook.
It depicted a pair of Nevers.
The boy resembled a malevolent penguin, with sickly pale skin, dark bulging eyes, sunken cheeks, and a hideous dome of black hair. He had scrawny thighs and calves, no muscle tone in his sticklike arms, and walked stiffly as if afraid something might fall out of his pants.
The girl was broad-shouldered and golden tan, with glimmering blue eyes, a small button nose, and long black hair that was so harshly black it didn't look her natural hue—as if it'd been dyed in a hurry by someone who didn't understand the careful calculations of proper coloring.
And they were holding hands, entering the School for Evil.
I inhaled sharply, looking up at Rafal.
Agatha and Tedros.
They had found a way to enter undetected.
Rafal fixed his eyes on me. "If anyone—anyone—dares to enter this tower, kill them," he hissed.
Then he leapt out the window and was gone.
***
I sat on the edge of my bed, head in my hands.
Agatha and Tedros had snuck into the school.
Because of me.
If I had found the spy on time, they wouldn't have had the chance to smuggle the pair inside. But I didn't find the spy.
And now Agatha and Tedros were here. And they'd kill Rafal.
I clenched my fists.
I'd just have to kill them first.
Something shot through the window, landing on the stone floor with a sickening thunk.
I clapped a hand to my mouth to keep any noise from escaping, then ducked behind the bed to observe this intruder.
This intruder that looked exactly like the Never girl from the book.
Agatha.
She lumbered onto her legs, staggering only slightly. When she spoke, however, it was in Tedros' voice.
"Y/n?" she—he called. "Y/n, where are you?" He scanned the room. I ducked out of sight.
"Y/n, you're in danger!" he said into the empty space. "We have to leave here now, before the School Master comes back. So if you'll just listen to me—"
I whacked him in the head with the corner of a giant storybook. He crashed face-first into the floor.
It wasn't difficult to restrain him. With magic, I lifted him to the bed, limbs splayed out and knotted to the bedposts. His head lolled to the side. He was out cold.
I sat on the table by the Storian, peering down at Tedros.
This boy. This boy had killed Sophie.
I should kill him right now, I thought. I should rip out his throat or gouge out his eyes or make him choke himself with his own hands until he dies from lack of oxygen.
But I didn't.
Because this boy had helped in arranging for Sophie's demise.
And I needed to know why.
Eventually, he came to, wincing. When he spotted me, his eyes widened.
"Hello, Tedros," I said venomously.
His brow creased. He shouted something, pleading to be listened to, but it was pointless. His words were muffled by the gag.
I slipped off the table and slithered toward him. With a wave of my hand, his gag dissolved.
He gasped. "Y/n—let me out of here, we need to go—"
"Where's your princess?" I sneered.
"Getting my sword from the School for Evil. Y/n, we—"
"Your sword? Why exactly do you have a need for Excalibur?" I took a step forward. "You'll use it to kill us, perhaps?"
He looked horrified. "No, of course not! You'll need it to destroy your ring—"
"What exactly gives you the impression that I'll be willing to do that?" I said.
"Well—uh—it's how we'll kill the School Master—"
I shot forward, pulling my dagger from my belt, shoving it against his throat, just shy of breaking the skin.
"You will never lay your hands on him."
Tedros inhaled shakily. He rasped, "But it's how you'll be free—"
"Free?" I hissed. "By killing the one who loves me? By taking me away from the one place where I might finally be happy? So I can live Ever After following you and your princess like a dog?"
"Be reasonable, Y/n. You can't stay here with him! He's a monster!"
"You're no better than him," I spat.
"What are you talking about?"
"You killed Sophie!" I roared, pressing the blade deeper. When the first drops of blood appeared, I wrenched away, breathing heavily.
He gaped at me. "What?"
"You killed her. Like she was nothing."
"What the hell are you talking about, Y/n?"
"I saw it!" I shouted, flinging an arm out in the Storian's direction. "The book showed her body. With you and your princess standing above it."
It was at that moment the disguise disappeared. His long hair lightened to gold. It shrank into his scalp, as his chin dimpled and his cheeks hardened, amber stubble stippling his jaw. Faster now, his legs and arms sprouted with fuzz, his feet ballooned two sizes and his shoulders and chest broadened, shredding his shirt seams. His calves chiseled, his biceps rippled, his forearms swelled, bursting the knots of his binds, until at last he tore away the gag with a virile roar, no longer a girl at all, but a prince in his body like a lion uncaged.
"I don't know what the hell that monster told you to manipulate you to hate us," Tedros began, "but we want you back, Y/n. We want our best friend."
My eyes turned glassy. "Then you should have thought of that before you became murderers."
Tedros sighed. "It didn't have to be like this."
He flung his glowing finger out, the tip glowing gold—
I whirled just in time to see a thousand books fly at my face.
***
A/n: I'm not sorry at all—