I won’t let her hurt my friends. “I don’t believe you. I think you’re leading us into another trap!”

“Everyone calm down,” Heath locks eyes with me. “Tara, can you explain where you got that wand, please?”

“What does it matter?” Tara throws her hands up. “It’s not like anything we do here is going to change Enchantasia!”

“Change happens when people take action!” I say.

“Olivina is the one who makes all the decisions, and she’s not going to give that power up!” Tara argues.

“We can’t sit here and do nothing!” I insist. “We need to be the change this kingdom needs.” Brynn is standing behind Tara and gives me a silent fist bump to the air.

She exhales, the anger from a moment ago gone. “Sometimes you can’t make people change, no matter how much you want them to. This is a fool’s errand.” She throws down her cap. Brynn swoops in and picks it up. “And I don’t want to be part of it.” She starts walking away.

“What is going on here?” Kira shrieks.

“Fine! Run away. You’re good at that!” I look at the others. They look uncomfortable. “What? She’s been so standoffish and afraid to face Olivina for so long. Well, you know what? I’m afraid too, but I’m here, trying to make a difference. Trying to get my life back and save everyone else unknowingly caught under her spell. I can’t just sit by in silence!” I suddenly become aware of the fact that the others are all staring at me. “Her wand is really Olivina’s. I’m sure of it!”

“Why would she have her wand?” Heath says.

“I don’t know, but she does.” I stare at her retreating figure. “If she wants to live her life alone, then let her. She’s not helping us anyway.”

“The important thing right now is to find Olivina’s office.” Raina walks around looking at every detail of the architecture. “Aha! Now I remember. We need to find the glass slipper!”

“The glass slipper?” Heath repeats.

“Yes! It’s one of her most famous wishes, so she keeps a reminder of it in the castle to help her get where she most wants to go—and at RA, it’s her own office.” Raina peers under a table. “Now where would one be in the hallway? I’m sure it’s not just out in the open, or princesses would be trying it on all day long.”

“Perhaps I can help.”

Professor Pierce is standing right behind us. He looks exactly as I remembered. We, however, look nothing like our real selves.

“You’ve been spotted! Abort!” Kira yells, tugging on my earlobe.

“Good evening, Professor,” I say and curtsy like a good princess, or, in my case, lady-in-waiting, would, hoping he thinks we’re visiting students. The others bow or curtsy as well.

Professor Pierce smiles. “I was wondering when you’d all turn up. I didn’t expect it to be so soon. Well done.”

I feel panicked. “Pardon?”

“Sometimes those who hide in the shadows offer the brightest lights,” he says coyly. “Hello, young Devin.”