"What if Merlin marshals the Ever kingdoms against us?" I heard Professor Manley ask.
"For the last time, Bilious, Good defends, not attacks; the Ever kingdoms will not fight us if we do not fight them," Rafal's voice growled. "Besides, they know better than to risk their people for a few decrepit heroes. Not that this will save them, of course. Once Y/n and I prove that Evil can win, we'll destroy the Ever kingdoms one by one."
"And what if more of our students turn out to be spies for Good?" asked Professor Sheeks.
"What if Princess Uma brings an animal army?" pushed Pollux.
"If you're worried about our students' ability to fight animals, then I wonder what business you have being a teacher at all," the young School Master fired. "As for spies, Sheeba, I believe the threat of imprisonment in the Brig will deter any further rebellion."
"'Cause that worked real well tonight," Castor murmured.
I wasn't paying attention to them as I inspected the food laid out at the back of Lady Lesso's old frozen classroom.
I glimpsed my reflection in an iced wall and almost didn't recognize myself. There was imperious queen in a spiked crown and maleficent gown. Ever since yesterday's coronation before famous villains and former classmates, standing in homage to their new leader, I had begun to feel like my true self. I glanced down at Merlin's white star, which I'd buried in my pocket. No doubt he'd left it to make me rethink my allegiance to Evil. Instead it had only recommitted me.
Oh, what I would have given to see that scheming meddler thrown into the iced dungeons, with his stupid cape and infernal hat and doddering quips. Next time, I'd handle sealing prisoners in the Brig myself.
My eyes refocused on the buffet and I glanced back at the seated teachers—Professor Manley, Professor Sheeks, Castor, Pollux, and Lady Lesso—who each had full plates of putrid food. Dean Aric was the only one missing from the gathering.
"I say the biggest problem we have is that we crammed all the Evil students into the old Good school and those numpty Nevers don't know that castle from their own arse," Castor grouched. "Keep locking themselves in closets and falling down secret passageways. How can they protect a school if they don't know where anything is?"
Lady Lesso cleared her throat. "Rafal—"
"You mean Master," I said.
Lady Lesso's eyes flicked to me.
"Master," she simpered, back to Rafal, "I think what the rest of my colleagues are trying to say is that one cannot approach the coming war like an impetuous child. If Hester and Anadil, two of our best Nevers, turned out to be spies for Good, how can we trust the rest to be faithful to our cause? Tracking them into their future groups might sedate their instincts to rebel, but it cannot address their deeper loyalties. When faced with the choice of fighting with us or against us, we cannot predict what many of them will do, particularly those Evers whose families have fought for Good their whole lives. And speaking frankly, Master, to believe otherwise is to let your new youth impair your judgment."
"What is it you're proposing, Lady Lesso?" Rafal asked.
"I propose that you avoid the students fighting for you at all," said Lady Lesso. "Take the old villains into the Woods and ambush Merlin's forces before they reach our gates. Let the Dark Army finish them off before they ever get to school. The students will remain barricaded at school under our control."
"It is the most sensible plan," said Professor Manley, as if he and Lady Lesso had already discussed it. "Our students would only hamper your army."
"It will prevent spies or sabotage," said Professor Sheeks, clearly privy to the plan.
"And it will save students' lives," added Castor, apparently part of the team too.
Pollux frowned, as if it was the first he was hearing of it.
"So the old villains will fight the battle while the young students lounge here?" I glowered, incredulous. "And I assume you, our virtuous and valiant faculty, will avoid the front line too?"
"Can't very well leave the students unsupervised, can we? Given their dubious loyalties," Lady Lesso glowered back
Rafal smiled dryly at the teachers. "This isn't about loyalties at all, is it? You don't think we'll win. Now that I have youth on my side, you think I might lose this war."
"Youth also brings with it reckless optimism and a willingness to risk the lives of fellow youth. Neither of which are useful in war," said Lady Lesso. "A war where half your own forces may not be on your side."
Rafal held her eyes. "I'm afraid you've wasted your breath, Lady Lesso. Truth is, I'd already decided upon leaving the students at school before you ever mentioned it."
"I bet," Castor mumbled.
The door crashed open and Aric stormed in.
"Can't believe you let them get away after what that demon-skinned wench did to me," Aric fumed, the "CREEP" slashed into his forehead glowing bloodred. "Told you we should have gutted them and served them in meat pies at supper."
"Because that would surely inspire loyalty from their fellow students," Lady Lesso scorned. "You and the young School Master should replace our entire faculty with hot-headed, teenage boys. You could rename the towers Brashness, Arrogance, and Thuggery."
Aric shoved his face in hers and grabbed her by the throat. "You think because you scared that demon off me, you can talk to me like that? You think because you called a few teachers to help your wounded 'little boy,' all is forgiven?" he snarled, spit flying. "Well, I blame you for that witch-spy attacking me in the first place. You taught her these past two years, so clearly something went wrong in her education if she attacks her own Dean." Aric squeezed her neck harder. "But you're the Old Dean and I'm the New, mother. Which means when you're out, I'm in and this school goes my way. And trust me when I say you'll be out sooner than you think."
Lady Lesso gurgled for breath—
"Aric, I'd prefer you kill your mother after the war is over," said Rafal.
His tone was dead serious.
Aric sensed this too, for he smirked at his mother and whispered in her ear. "And before I kill you, I'll kill your old fairy godmother friend too. Dovey, is it? I'll tear out her heart with my bare hands and make you watch." He released her quickly and pulled back. "Of course, School Master. Please go on."
Lady Lesso showed no emotion, but when her son turned to his seat, her eyes flickered with terror and her hand brushed the marks he'd left on her throat.
"Then our plan for war is set," Rafal resumed. "Once Merlin and his heroes approach, the old villains will ambush them in the Woods, while the young students defend the castles, under the teachers' supervision. You will not tell the young students they're staying behind in the coming war, of course. For the next week, they will train rigorously for combat alongside the old villains. This will ensure they're prepared in case any of Merlin's heroes make it past the Dark Army onto school grounds. As to who will be Training Leader of both schools—"
"Me," Aric and Lady Lesso both spouted.
Rafal ignored Lady Lesso and began to nod at Aric—
"No."
Rafal, Aric, and the rest of the faculty all turned to me.
"This should be good," Castor muttered, drawing snickers.
"HOW DARE YOU," I hissed.
The room went still.
"I am your queen," I said, slinking towards the teachers. "Not a student, not a teacher, but a Master of both. Just like the young Master who sits in front of you and yet you continue to disrespect. No wonder our students doubt their loyalties to Evil when they have old, bitter teachers who see no value in youth or a young Dean who can't even protect himself." I leered at Aric as I circled the teachers like a shark. "But that will change starting today. Because now they have me.
"When I was first appointed as a teacher, I resisted it. But then I understood what Rafal had been trying to tell me all along. That some hearts are rebel hearts, pumping with anger and darkness and pain the way others pump with light. And yet, even if my heart beats for Evil, that doesn't mean I can't find love. That doesn't mean I can't find happiness. It just means I have to find love with someone who embraces my darkness instead of fighting it. Because that's the love that will change the world. That's the love that will win this war. And that's the love we must teach."
I paused, letting these words echo in the quiet room. "I was with Merlin, Tedros, and Agatha the past two weeks. I know their weaknesses and how to beat them. And if you still doubt me, then perhaps you should remember that the last rite of any coronation is a queen's wish for her kingdom. I didn't have a chance to make my wish then, but I'll make it now. My wish is to do what I couldn't do the first time I was at this school: to lead this war against Good and know that righteousness is on our side. All of you may not trust Evil can win this war. You may choose to stay behind with the students and cower from the future. But not me. I'll prepare our Dark Army for war. I'll stand with Rafal at the front line. I'll do whatever it takes to show the world that Evil can win. Because this isn't just my fairy tale now. It's all of ours. And in the end, my life is worth risking if it means more rebel hearts will finally have a happy ending."
My cheeks were red, my chest thumping.
The teachers gazed back at me. They weren't snickering anymore. Instead their eyes shined with a new hope, as if Evil finally had a chance indeed.
Rafal clasped my hand. "Well, then," he said proudly. "I believe we've found our Training Leader."
***
It wasn't long before the first death.
Lady Lesso had been warning from the start that having New students fight Old, bloodthirsty zombies was recklessly stupid, but I felt like the young students had been pampered enough. First, Rafal had protected them from the front line of the coming war. Then, he'd moved war preparations to the School for New, since the old Good castle was warmer and better lit. Then he'd abolished the Doom Room, allowed open access to the Groom Room, and even halted further tracking, ensuring half-mogrified dimwits like Kiko wouldn't be fully turned into animals and plants until after the war.
Enough was enough. I was Training Leader and the training fights would continue as scheduled, no matter what anyone said. It didn't matter if the old villains were injuring and torturing the new students. Evil had a war to win, and Evil only learned to be Evil through suffering and pain.
That's how I'd learned, after all. And now my classmates would too.
I'd planned the entire training schedule. For the next six days, four hundred villains, Old and New, would be divided amongst the various Evil teachers and rooms. During each class, there were no lectures, no tests, no challenges. Instead, teachers would supervise one-on-one fights between an old zombie and a young student in accordance with a class theme.
From the very first class, screams of young Evers and Nevers rang through the hall. An ogre chased Reena with an ax during Weapons, a witch burned a hole in Vex's thigh during Spells, Jack's giant threw Chaddick down the stairs in Talents, and Red Riding Hood's wolf ate half- feathered Kiko before Pollux made him choke her out. Meanwhile, Aric's Hand-to-Hand Combat sessions produced so many gashes and concussions and broken bones that the fairies set up a makeshift infirmary in the foyer, supervised by Beatrix, who scurried about in a panic, dispensing healing elixirs and spells out of old library books.
As the days went on, I began to relish the students' misery and the growing number of bodies in the infirmary, as if my heart, once fueled by love and hope, was now only fueled by other people's pain. I woke up craving the first screams of the morning and felt forlorn when the day's training ended and the students limped back to their rooms. By the third night, I was staying up late to make my own draws of who would fight each other the next day.
And by the third night, there were less people in the infirmary. The students were growing more crafty. They were figuring out how to beat their opponents.
They were growing stronger.
On the fifth day, I woke in Rafal's arms.
"Good morning," I whispered.
"Good morning," he echoed, pulling me against him.
I hummed and let my eyes flutter closed as I rested my head on his chest. "The students are getting better."
"And it's because of you," he said, kissing my neck. "You're doing so well, darling."
I smiled lazily. "We're going to win, Rafal. I know we are."
Rafal grinned and crawled on top of me, attacking me with kisses.
On the sixth day, I made my rounds as usual, pleased with the results.
Vex cast himself into a noxious wind to beat off the wolf, Kiko turned part of the floor to acid, burning a hole in a witch's feet, while Chaddick morphed into a deadly germ and infected his troll opponent.
At the end of each lesson, the fairies' screeching signaled the beginning of the next.
It wasn't long before screams pierced the hallway again, much worse than before.