He stopped cold. His eyes rose to the ceiling and Agatha dove away from the grating just in time. Hidden in shadow, she held her breath. Keep talking . . . keep talking . . . please, please, please—

“Search the dungeons and the belfry,” the School Master’s voice continued. “Leave no stone unturned.”

Agatha almost fainted in relief. As long as he was here, away from the Storian, he couldn’t know she was hiding right over his head.

“But I want Agatha alive. It’s time I had a little talk with our dear princess,” said the School Master. “Now marshal the men while I secure the museum. Understood?”

“Yes, Master,” Hook said.

Agatha peeked through the grate and watched them part ways. Captain Hook, the Captain Hook, was looking for her? And not only him, hundreds of villains, just as famous and deadly? She was dead . . . more than dead . . . she was horse meat—

And yet, as she watched the mob of hooting villains combing the castle, something the School Master said was still gnawing at her.

Secure the museum.

He had the chance to find and kill her and he was worried about the museum? Of all the things in the castle, why would an invincible sorcerer possibly need to secure a muse—

Agatha choked and bolted upright, smacking her head into the vent. Scrambling onto her hands and knees, she started down the air shaft in the direction he went.

There was only one thing in the world the Woods’ greatest villain needed to secure.

The one weapon that could destroy him and his minions forever.

A holy sword Agatha never thought she could find.

And now the School Master was surely taking her right to it.

Tedros used magic to whisk away Sophie’s gag, because he was afraid she’d bite his face if he got too close.

“Better pray I never get out of these,” Sophie spat, flailing against the velvet sheets binding her to the bedpost.

“Now hold your horses,” Tedros growled, trying to salvage what was left of his shirt.

“Rafal will be here any moment, so I suggest you take your horses and scat if you don’t want to end up dissected for Evil research. Where’s Agatha?”

“Getting my sword from the School for Evil. You’ll need it to destroy your ring—” Tedros started, only to instantly regret it when he saw Sophie’s face.

“My ring? My Queen’s ring?” Sophie shot back. “That’s why you were ogling it on the shore? Because you want me to destroy it?”

“Uh, it’s how we k-k-kill the School Master,” Tedros stammered, knowing he was talking too much. “It’s how you’ll be free—look, we can discuss this later, once we get out of—”

“Free?” Sophie hissed, shielding her ring. “By killing the boy who loves me? By taking me away from the one place where I might finally be happy? So I can live Ever After following you and your princess like a dog?”