Ready to go, Devin? asks the Pegasus at the helm. Nigel was able to talk to the Pegasi at the Royal Academy stables, and there were two (Boxer and Ronald) that have a beef with Olivina and were happy to give us an assist.

“Yes, take it away, boys!” I neigh back, gripping the seat in nervous excitement.

The coach begins to bounce along, and in seconds we’re taking off into the sky. I look out the window and see Prue and Corden waving from the tree house. We are officially on our way! I turn to the others to find Tara looking green.

“It’s going to be all right,” I tell her. “We’ll keep each other safe.”

Tara sighs. “That’s what you think.”

Sasha unfurls the action-plan scroll in front of her. “Let’s go over this one more time. The coach drops us off near the pumpkin patch, where Brynn will sneak us in a back way. Then it takes off and brings Heath and me to the front where we will be presented to Olivina. The voice changer Corden built into our costumes will make sure no one recognizes us. I am Scarlet, an exchange student hoping to attend RA because I’ve heard great things about Olivina, blah, blah, blah.”

Heath turns to the rest of us. “When we get inside, we fan out. Logan will find out when Olivina is going to be arriving at the party. Don’t get distracted by what’s happening in the kitchen, just find out when her office will be empty. Then have your kobold let our kobolds know. We’ll blend in with the party till the coast is clear, then make our way to the office to plant the jewel. Once it’s attached to the mirror, we make our way back to the rendezvous point by the kitchen, and then we are out of here. Got it?”

“I don’t think I should have come,” Tara says quietly. “I’m going to give us away.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Corden and Prue have thought of everything!” Logan plays with the scarf tied around his neck. “Even I’m not too worried about being recognized. It’s not like many people talked to me at school the first time around anyway.”

“You don’t get it,” Tara starts to say, but stops herself when she sees my compact is glowing.

I open it up and see Brynn again. “Coast is clear!” she says. “The sooner you get here, the better.”

“I think we’re getting close,” I spy the castle’s turrets through the carriage windows. “Kira?” I ask my kobold. “Check with Prue to see if it’s time for the descent.”

I hear a lot of neighing coming from the front of the carriage and wonder what’s going on. Our coach hits a few air bumps, and we bounce around for a moment, then level out.

“Prue says it’s time!” Kira’s voice is so loud over the wind that I hold my ears. “Descend! Descend fast! Now! Now! Now!”

I hear frantic neighing again, and the carriage bounces around some more, dropping slowly.