“Listen, you need to win back respect—”
“Through intentional Evil? No. Shan’t.”
“Then we’re doomed,” Agatha snapped. Sophie exhaled angrily and turned away.
Suddenly her expression changed. “What in the—”
She gawked at the Evers ranking board, tacked to the gates.
“But—but—you’re … you!” Sophie cried.
“And I do my homework!” Agatha barked. “I don’t want to learn dove calls or practice fainting or sew handkerchiefs, but I’ll do whatever it takes to get us home!”
But Sophie wasn’t listening. A naughty grin spread across her face.
Agatha crossed her arms. “No way. First of all, teachers will catch us.”
“You’ll love my Curses homework, it’s all about tricking princes—and you hate boys!”
“Second, your roommates will tell on you—”
“And you’ll love my Uglification homework! We’re learning to scare children—and you hate children!”
“If Tedros finds out, we’re dead—”
“And look at your finger! It glows when you’re upset! I can’t do that!”
“It’s a fluke!”
“Look, it’s even brighter now! You’re born to be a vill—”
Agatha stomped. “WE’RE NOT CHEATING!”
Sophie fell silent. Wolves unlocked the Blue Forest gates and students surged into the tunnels.
Neither Sophie nor Agatha moved.
“My roommates say I’m 100% Evil,” Sophie said softly. “But you know the truth. I don’t know how to be Evil. Not even 1%. So please don’t ask me to go against my own soul, Agatha. I can’t.” Her voice caught. “I just can’t.”
She left Agatha under the umbrella. As Sophie joined the herd, the storm rinsed the sheen out of her hair, the glitter off her skin until Agatha couldn’t tell her from the other villains. Guilt flushed through her, burning her finger bright as the sun. She hadn’t told Sophie the truth. She had the same idea to do Sophie’s Evil work and squashed it. Not because she was afraid she’d get caught.
She was afraid she might like it. All 100%.
That night, Sophie had nightmares. Tedros kissing goblins, Agatha crawling from a well with cupid wings, Hester’s demon chasing her through sewers, until the Beast rose out of dark water, bloody hands snatching, and Sophie lunged past him and locked herself in the Doom Room. Only there was a new torturer waiting. Her father in a wolf mask.
Sophie jolted awake.
Her roommates were fast asleep. She sighed, nestled into her pillow—and bolted back up.
There was a cockroach on her nose.
She started to scream—
“It’s me!” the roach hissed.
Sophie closed her eyes. Wake up, wake up, wake up.
She opened them. It was still there.
“What’s my favorite muffin?” she wheezed.
“Flourless blueberry bran,” the roach spat. “Any more stupid questions?”
Sophie picked the bug off her nose. It had the same bulging eyes and sunken cheeks.
“How in the world—”
“Mogrification. We’ve been learning it for two weeks. Meet me in the common room.”
Agatha the Cockroach glared back as she skittered for the door.
“And bring your books.”
“Just focus on an emotion!” barked the roach on her shoulder. “Like anger. Try anger.”
Sophie closed her eyes. “Is it glowing?”
“No. What are you thinking about?”
“The food here.”
“Real anger, you oaf! Magic comes from real feelings!”
Sophie’s face scrunched with effort.
“Deeper! Nothing’s happening!”
Sophie’s face darkened and her fingertip flickered hot pink.
“That’s it! You’re doing it!” Agatha hopped excitedly. “What are you thinking about!”
“How infuriating your voice is,” Sophie said, opening her eyes. “Should I think about you every time?”
For the next week, the Malice Common Room turned into a cockroach’s night school. The Mogrify spell only lasted three hours, so Agatha worked Sophie like a slave, driving her to make her fingerglow stronger, to fog a room and flood a floor, to tell a Sleeping Willow from a Weeping Willow, and to even say a few words of Giant. Sophie’s ranks immediately improved, but by the fourth day, the long nights had taken their toll.
“My skin looks gray,” Sophie croaked.
“And you’re still ranked 68, so pay attention!” berated the roach on her book, swan crest glistening on abdomen. “The Woodswide Plague began when Rumpelstiltskin stamped so hard the ground cracked—”
“What made you change your mind? About helping me?”
“And from the ground, a million poisonous bugs crawled out and infested the Woods, sickening scores of Nevers and Evers,” Agatha said, ignoring her. “They even had to close this school, since the bugs were highly contagious—”
Sophie flopped back on the couch. “How do you know all this?”
“Because while you stare in mirrors, I read Poisons and Plagues!”
Sophie sighed. “So they closed the school for bugs. Then what happ—”
“This is where you’ve been sneaking to?”
Sophie swiveled to Hester at the door in black pajamas, flanked by Anadil and Dot.
“Homework,” Sophie yawned, holding up her book. “Need light.”
“Since when do you care about homework?” said Hester, looking greasier than ever.
“Thought beauty was a ‘full-time job,’” mimicked Anadil.
“Rooming with you is such inspiration,” Sophie said, smiling. “Makes me want to be the best villain I can be.”
Hester eyed her for a long moment. With a growl, she turned and led the others out.
Sophie exhaled, blowing Agatha off the couch.
“She’s