“Professor Pierce?” A mirror down the hall lights up, and everyone jumps. It’s Milo the Magic Mirror, who is Olivina’s spy. “Is that you I hear? There is an issue with my connection this evening, and I can’t get you in view. Olivina is concerned there is a problem and would like to confer with you at once.”

Professor Pierce holds a finger to his lips. “Of course, Milo! I’ll be right there.” He looks at Raina. “You always knew your Royal Academy rules better than anyone.” Raina blushes. “And you’re correct—you need to find a glass slipper to enter Olivina’s quarters.” He gives her a look. “So I must ask you: Where is a princess most likely to leave a slipper behind, knowing it will be found?”

Raina lights up. “On the main staircase, of course, where it will be seen!”

He bows slightly to her. “You are correct. I look forward to you returning to class soon. All of you. Good luck.” With that, he slips down the hall and out of sight.

“Here!” Raina says, pointing to the main stairs that lead to the classrooms on the second floor. She searches around wildly for a slipper. I don’t see one, and neither does she. “It has to be here,” she says to herself. “Then again, Olivina wouldn’t want us all finding it, or students would be stopping by daily, which is why…” She spins around and squeals, pointing to a statue on the staircase. “She’d place it in a pumpkin!” She rushes over to the statue, lifts the lid to the ceramic pumpkin, and pulls out a tiny glass slipper. She presses her thumb to the heel, and a doorway behind us appears. A large gold O is engraved on the shimmering silver door. It’s the entrance to Olivina’s quarters!

“Raina, I don’t tell you this enough, but you’re brilliant,” Heath says.

She shrugs and steps through the doorway. “I know. Now hurry. We don’t know how long that doorway will stay open.”

“There’s something I still don’t get,” I say as we rush toward the door. “Sasha and I found letters to Tara in our dorm room when we were students, so we assumed she was also a student at some point. Snow knows her, so she had to be. But Professor Pierce tutors everyone. Why wouldn’t he remember her?” I duck as a pixie flies dangerously close to my head. I can’t stop thinking there is part of the puzzle I’m missing. Why was Tara so afraid to face Olivina? And where did she just run off to? “Do you think Logan and Sasha are okay?” I ask.

“They’re fine,” Heath says, stepping through the doorway. “They’re together. We have to do what we came here to do.”

I know Heath’s right, but I can’t get rid of this feeling something is wrong. “Tara is friends with Prue. Are we sure we can trust her?”

“Hey!” Kira tugs on my ear. “I love Prue.”

I forgot she was even in there. “I just mean…” I hold my chest. My heart is beating fast. I can’t put my finger on what feels wrong.