Faybelle cleared her throat. Her wings relaxed. “As you know, I intend to become the vilest, meanest, wickedest Ever After High student ever,” she said. “And I’m going to start my long evil career by acing this thronework assignment.”
“What are you going to do?” one of the girls asked. “A magical cheer?”
“We’re not supposed to do magical cheers,” another said.
“They’re forbidden. We’ll get into trouble.”
Faybelle flipped her long blond hair away from her face. “Oh, stop throwing pixie fits. You’re not going to do a magical cheer. I’m going to do it because I have something up my sleeve.” That appeared to be a literal statement because she reached up her sleeve. Then she pulled out a tiny black satchel.
The cheerhexers oohed. Duchess wobbled on her leg, almost losing her balance. Fairy dust! One of the most powerful magical ingredients in all the fairytale kingdoms. How could Duchess possibly sabotage a plan that contained fairy dust magic?
“What should I use it on?” Faybelle asked with an evil smile. The bag dangled from her outstretched arm. Each of the cheerhexers took two steps back. Then Faybelle laughed. “Relax. Why would I use it on you guys? You’re my… BFFAs.”
They all giggled nervously. But no one looked convinced. Most of the girls grabbed their pom-poms and flew off the field.
Faybelle looked around. Then her gaze rested on the hedgehogs’ pen. “Hmmm.” She flew off the bench and landed in front of the little fence that protected Lizzie’s precious living croquet balls. She knelt and peered through the wires. The little critters were also taking naps, curled into spiky balls. “Well, well, what have we here?” Faybelle asked.
Duchess’s heart started to pound. Faybelle wouldn’t hurt the hedgehogs, would she? No one could be that evil. Could they?
Only one cheerhexer remained. “What are you going to do?” she asked.
“I’m going to get an A on my thronework assignment, that’s what.”
Faybelle walked over to the hedgehogs’ trough and performed a quiet cheer. “Faybelle, Faybelle, she’s the one. She’s the one who’ll make hedgehogs fun.” She opened her satchel and sprinkled some of the fairy dust into her hand. The dust sparkled like stars. That was when Duchess realized that the cheer had been a magical incantation. The other cheerhexer watched as Faybelle leaned over the fence and stretched out her hand. “I’ve always wondered why they’re called hedgehogs.” Glittery flecks of magic drifted down, landing in the trough. Faybelle tucked the satchel back up her sleeve, a smile spreading across her face. “Don’t wake them up yet,” she said. “I want Mr. Badwolf to witness the transformation. Won’t Lizzie Hearts be surprised when she finds that her sweet little babies are real hogs!”
Faybelle’s wings unfurled, and she flew toward the school. The other cheerhexer followed.
There was no time to transform. Duchess squeezed between flamingos and flew over the fence. Then she landed in the hedgehog pen. The little critters opened their eyes and yawned. They stretched their little legs. Duchess had disturbed their naptime, and soon they’d head for the trough, because if there was one thing a hedgehog liked better than napping, it was eating!
How shocking it would be for Lizzie to find her pen filled with hogs. And how disappointing it would be if Faybelle got the A.
Duchess reached her wing into the trough. The plan, formed at that very moment, was to scoop out the enchanted hedgehog kibble and get rid of it. But wings don’t work in the same way that hands work. She groaned and glanced over at the school. Faybelle was already inside. It wouldn’t be long before she found Mr. Badwolf and persuaded him to follow her back to the pen.
Duchess hissed at the hedgehogs as they waddled toward their lunch. They squealed and curled back into balls. She didn’t like scaring them, but it was definitely better than being turned into real hogs. Duchess reached her long neck into the trough, then groaned. She thought she’d be able to peck out the glittery flakes, but they had camouflaged themselves among the hedgehogs’ food. And so, as quickly as possible, she pecked the kibble, until it was all gone and her beak was full. Then she flew over the fence and spat the kibble into a garbage can.
I did it, she thought. The trough was empty, and all the hedgehogs were still small, fat, and spiky. They were not happy, however, because they still expected their post-nap meal. Their noses sniffing, they moseyed up to the empty trough and climbed in. Grunts of dissatisfaction filled the air.
But Duchess was so happy about the outcome that she wanted to do a cheer. She twirled on her webbed feet. The flamingos looked at her as if she were crazy. She’d foiled a fairy! The A was almost hers.
By the time Duchess had ducked behind an equipment shed and had transformed back into her human self, Mr. Badwolf was following Faybelle toward the hedgehog pen. Blondie was there, too, her MirrorPad in hand. The cheerhexers and a few snoopy students were close behind.
Everyone was breathless by the time they reached the pen. Duchess peered around the edge of the shed, careful to stay out of sight.
“Why are we out here?” Mr. Badwolf asked. He tucked his tie beneath his vest and smoothed his jacket. “I have no interest in croquet.”
“We’re out here because I’ve done my thronework assignment,” Faybelle announced. She whistled. “Wake up, little croquet balls. Wake up and eat your lunch.”
“They’re already awake,” Blondie said, pointing into the trough.
“Oh, so they are.” Faybelle nudged Mr. Badwolf with her elbow. “You’re going to be sooooo impressed.”
“I will be the judge of that, Ms. Thorn,” he growled.
Everyone looked in the trough. The hedgehogs sat on their round behinds, their arms folded, their tummies rumbling.
Faybelle leaned over the fence. “What the hex? The food is gone, so how come they haven’t changed?”
Mr. Badwolf tapped his clipboard against his leg. “Ms. Thorn? What is the meaning of this?”
“I used fairy dust,” she explained. “I sprinkled it in their food. Fairy dust never fails. Never!” Her voice rose an octave and cracked.
“Fairy dust might not fail, but fairies do,” Mr. Badwolf said. He removed his red pen from his vest pocket. “You get an FF on your assignment, Ms. Thorn.”
Faybelle balled her hands into fists. Her wings beat furiously. “Someone ruined my thronework!”
Duchess slipped away as quickly and quietly as possible, holding her laugh until she was sure Faybelle couldn’t hear her.
Chapter 17
A House of Cards
By Wednesday evening, Duchess was exhausted. After sabotaging both Ginger’s and Faybelle’s General Villainy thronework, she’d attended her lesson at the Red Shoes Studio and her Home Economyths class. She wanted to fall into bed, but a letter was waiting for her on her desk. She immediately recognized the handwriting.
Duchess gazed out the window, toward the distant land where her family’s palace stood. Will you still love me when you learn that I want to change my destiny?
“Did you hear what she said about me?” Lizzie asked as she barreled into the room. “Oh, she makes my blood boil!”
Duchess tucked the letter into her drawer. “Who makes your blood boil?”
“That Blondie Lockes and her gossipy MirrorCast. I’m not quitting. I’m totally capable of doing both thronework assignments. I’m… ouch!” She rubbed her bottom.
“What’s the matter?” Duchess asked.
“I’m so sore,” Lizzie moaned. “I’ve been practicing my equestrian skills all day. But my horse and I got into a big fight. When I ordered it to go left, it went right. And when I ordered it to stop, it kept on going. So I gave it a time-out, but it nipped me. And Blondie was there and she saw the whole thing. You’re so lucky you don’t have to practice.”
Duchess smiled sympathetically. “I’ve been riding my whole life. It must be hard to start learning so late.”
“I wouldn’t have to ride a horse if this school were in Wonder
land. My playing-card army would carry me wherever I wanted to go!” Lizzie marched into the closet, where she took off her riding clothes and put on her pajamas, a cute matching set with red hearts. Duchess was so tired she could have slept in her clothes. But there was another matter to attend to.
“Lizzie?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady and not give away her evil intentions. “You seem totally stressed out. Why not focus on the Princessology thronework and forget about the General Villainy thronework?” If Lizzie quit, it would certainly make Duchess’s task easier. One fewer villain to sabotage, and she wouldn’t have to double-cross her roommate.
Lizzie pulled her wild hair into a ponytail. “You think I should quit?” She frowned.
Duchess tried to look sympathetic. “It might make you feel better.”
Just then, both of their MirrorPhones chimed. It was a hext from Blondie:
Be sure to watch JUST RIGHT tomorrow to see if Lizzie quits under pressure.
Lizzie tossed her phone onto her bed. “That Blondie thinks she’s so much better than me, just because she has that stupid show. Well, I’m the daughter of a real queen. She’s the daughter of some girl who scared a bunch of bears.” Lizzie’s cheeks turned as red as the hearts on her pajamas. “She wants a scoop? I’ll give her a scoop. I’m gonna go all Evil Queen on her. Just you wait and see.” She pulled a card out of her magic deck. Her mother, the Queen of Hearts, had written inspirational messages on them, and Lizzie often consulted her mother’s advice in times of crisis. “‘Look, a book is a terrible thing to taste,’” Lizzie read out loud.
“What does that mean?” asked Duchess.
Lizzie marched over to her bookcase. “It means the Princess of Hearts isn’t going to quit!”
“What are you doing?” Duchess asked.
“I’m doing my General Villainy thronework, that’s what I’m doing.” She grabbed a book. “I’ll teach Blondie a lesson, Wonderland-style.”
Drat! It would have been so much easier if she’d quit. But the good news was, Duchess wouldn’t have to change into her swan form to eavesdrop. “What’s your plan?” she asked.
“You know how Mr. Badwolf told us to look to our family stories for inspiration? Well, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” Lizzie sat on her bed. Duchess sat next to her. “Have you ever read this?” Lizzie asked as she opened the book to its title page.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“I remember my grandmother reading it to me,” Duchess said.
Shuffle, the hedgehog, crawled out from under the covers and sat on Lizzie’s lap while she flipped through the pages. There was a drawing of a girl named Alice who was wearing an apron. There was another drawing of Alice with a neck as long as a telescope. Lizzie pointed and giggled. “That looks pretty rotten and nasty to me.”
“You’re going to stretch her into a giant?” Duchess asked. “But you don’t have the power to do that.”
“Oh, relax. I’m not going to enlarge her,” Lizzie said. “Can you imagine? She’s loud enough in her normal size.” Lizzie pointed to the text. “But look, Alice got so big she couldn’t fit through the garden door. She was trapped! That’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to trap Blondie. She won’t be able to move. And she won’t be able to do her MirrorCast!”
She pushed the book aside and set Shuffle on the plush gold carpet. Then Lizzie grabbed her deck of cards and, with a practiced flick of her wrist, the cards flew into the air.
The filigreed cards soared overhead, then fell around Shuffle. The hedgehog squeaked as the cards formed a little log cabin. Shuffle’s snout wiggled as it stuck out the window. There was no room for her to turn around, and no door from which to escape.
Lizzie smiled at her accomplishment.
Duchess crouched next to the card house. “Wow. Your mom would be really proud.” Lizzie was showing signs of villainous potential. If she carried out this plan, she’d surely get the A.
“Of course, I’ll only entrap Blondie for a little while,” Lizzie explained. “I mean, she needs to eat, right? And what if her legs start to cramp?”
Okay, maybe not very villainous.
“This will teach Blondie a lesson. Don’t mess with the heart of Wonderland!” Lizzie snapped her fingers, and the cards flew back into their box. Shuffle waddled off.
Lizzie tucked her deck under her pillow, then climbed into bed. “Do you know what you’re going to do?” she asked Duchess.
“No,” Duchess lied.
“You’ll figure something out.” Lizzie yawned and rolled over. “You always get the best grades. Well, good night.”
It was only a few moments before the snoring began. Duchess was used to the sound. There’d been many a night when Duchess had lain awake, staring at the ceiling, worrying about her schoolwork and her destiny, while Lizzie had been in a deep sleep. Even with the worries of Wonderland, Lizzie didn’t seem to know the meaning of insomnia.
Once Lizzie’s snoring had fallen into a rhythmic pattern, Duchess tiptoed out of the room. She knew exactly what had to be done in order to sabotage Lizzie’s plans. It would have been nice, though, to see Blondie trapped in a card house. Maybe another time.
Since most everyone was settling into bed, the dormitory’s Common Room was quiet and dark. Duchess hurried to the corner shelves, which were cluttered with all sorts of board games like Babble, Charm-opoly, and Toil and Trouble. She squinted into the darkness, searching for the small boxes of Ever After High playing cards. Finding one, she grabbed it. The cards inside wouldn’t match Lizzie’s, but it was the best she could do at this late hour.
Duchess turned to go back to her room when she tripped on something. “Oops,” she said as she stumbled forward. She was about to do a face-plant when two hands clutched her waist and whisked her back onto her feet.
“Thank you,” she said, her eyes straining in the darkness. Who had caught her?
“You’re welcome.” For an instant, a blinding light illuminated the room, then disappeared.
Prince Daring Charming’s smile was better than a flashlight.
Chapter 18
Broken Hearts
Duchess was so startled that she honked!
Because the Common Room was bathed in evening silence, Duchess’s honk sounded louder than it usually did. She was mortified. It was bad enough that she’d honked in front of the prince of her dreams, but if she wasn’t able to change her destiny, then she’d be making that sound for the rest of her life.
“Sorry,” she told him. “I didn’t mean to fall on you.”
“No need to apologize for fainting,” he said as he sat in a leather chair. “I’m used to it. It’s one of the many effects I have on girls.”
“Uh, I didn’t faint. I tripped on something.” She looked down. His sword lay on the carpet. Then she noticed he was wearing pajamas that were embroidered with the Charming family crest. A dragon-shaped pillow was tucked under his arm. “Are you sleeping out here?”
“I was trying to,” he said. “All that serenading under my window makes it hard to sleep, so I came here to find some peace and quiet. Don’t get me wrong—I love the adoration, but even a perfect prince needs rest.”
And needs a perfect princess, she thought.
She stood there, staring at his handsomeness. His jawline was so strong it looked as if it had been chiseled from granite. The straightness of his nose was indisputable. And his locks were so thick and wavy a cricket could surf on them!
“You play?” he asked, his gaze falling on the card deck in her hand.
“No,” she said, momentarily forgetting why she’d come to the Common Room.
“Then why are you holding that deck?”
Oops. “Um, well, Lizzie loves cards.” She immediately regretted mentioning her roommate’s name, because Daring’s eyes got really wide and he took a deep breath.
“You know Lizzie?”
“Yeah, I’m her roommate.” Feather dusters! Would this guy ever remember who she was
? Would she have to always reintroduce herself?
“You room with Lizzie?” He darted to his feet. “Then can you explain something to me? I offered Lizzie the opportunity to accompany me on a stroll, but I fear she did not understand the situation. You see, there is currently a waiting list for this privilege, but I am willing to scoot her to the front of the line. Clearly, she only needs to be informed of this fact, and then she will accept my invitation.”
Duchess frowned. Was Daring that dense? Was it impossible for him to believe that a girl didn’t want to date him? “I don’t think Lizzie’s interested,” she said gently.
“Not interested?” He looked completely baffled. If this was his biggest conundrum, then he truly lived a charmed life. “But…”
Was Duchess supposed to give him relationship advice? Hello? What about me?
“I could take a stroll with you,” she said with a wave of courage.
“The waiting list is hanging on my door. Feel free to add your name.” Then he sank onto the chair and sighed, as if his heart were breaking.
Duchess squeezed the card deck, her face flushing. Was she angrier at Lizzie for stealing Daring’s heart or at Daring for not noticing her own heart? No way would she ever add her name to a waiting list. After she was declared Next Top Villain and she graduated to Advanced Villainy, she’d learn how to make a love potion and she’d spray it all over him, and when he fell in love with her, she’d tell him to put his name on a waiting list!
No longer caring if she was heard, Duchess stomped out of the Common Room.
Lizzie was still snoring. Pirouette had returned and was settled in her nest. Duchess crossed the room, careful to step over the messy piles of clothing and shoes. Then she stood beside Lizzie’s bed. Luckily, Lizzie had rolled away from the pillow and was sleeping sideways. Carefully, Duchess reached under the pillow, where Lizzie had stashed her Wonderland deck. Immediate pain shot through her finger. She pulled out her hand to find two little tooth marks and two drops of blood.