“This is where you tell me how to get your sword,” Agatha whispered.

“No idea,” Tedros whispered back.

She tasted his lips against hers—

“Well, well,” a sharp voice stung.

Agatha twirled in Tedros’ arms to see three shadows in the doorway, Hester’s eyes gleaming through darkness.

“So much for using your time wisely.”

18

Tedros in the Sky with Chocolate

It wasn’t until after she and Tedros split up that Agatha wondered if she would ever see him again.

“Showtime, kids,” said Hester, storming into the room and snatching Agatha off the bed. “Ani, Dot, you take Essa. Edgar’s with me. We have two hours until midnight.”

“Why do we get the twit?” Anadil moaned.

“Because you’re the henchmen!” Hester snapped, sweeping Agatha out of the room. Agatha looked back frantically just in time to see her prince-turned-princess lunge off the bed and catch her at the door.

“See you soon,” he breathed.

“See you soon,” Agatha said.

The door closed between them and Tedros was gone.

Hester yanked Agatha’s boy body down a dim hall. “Anadil and I tried for weeks to find a path into the School for Old with zero luck, so you better have a damn good plan.”

“Barely said goodbye,” Agatha mourned, looking back at the receding door.

“Didn’t look like you two were saying much of anything,” Hester snarked, pulling her past a few Evers and Nevers hightailing into rooms as if their lives depended on it. Kiko froze in her tracks, gawking at them.

“What are you looking at?” Hester growled.

Kiko shut her door, her voice echoing from inside: “Mona, Hester has a boyfriend!”

Hester dragged Agatha ahead. “Halfway Bridge is suicide, obviously; we’ll be sitting ducks and no way can you get past the invisible barrier a third time. Sewers are still blocked off from last year, so that’s a no-go. Best bet is to risk the fairy patrol around the bay—”

“Hold on. We?” Agatha asked excitedly. “Merlin said I’d be on my own—”

“Because Merlin thinks you’re the only one who can get into the School for Old alive,” said Hester. “What he doesn’t understand is that a coven is a coven and we protect each other to the death. Besides, no chance I’m letting you see inside that school without me.” She saw Agatha’s expression, grateful and moved, and Hester glowered impatiently. “Well? Which way? Anything but the—”

“Bridge,” Agatha smiled.

“I knew you’d say that,” Hester sighed, towing her into a dark breezeway. “And don’t tell Dot I said you’re in the coven. She’ll turn us both to mocha pudding.”

Agatha followed her out the glass passage into a shadowy Honor dormitory, noticing more students ducking into rooms as if outrunning a monster. “How did you get to be Merlin’s spies anyway?”

“We used Anadil’s rat to ferry a message into the Woods, looking for help to fight the School Master. Turns out your cat Reaper was in the Woods at the same time, delivering your mother’s message. Well, cat found rat and chased it halfway to Maidenvale, intent on eating it, before Yuba discovered both of them. Ever since then, Reaper—so cute, by the way—brings Merlin’s messages to us while Ani’s rat brings our messages back to Merlin.”