Another yell rang out and Agatha twirled to see Lancelot battling Rafal near the first line of trees. The knight’s shoulder was drenched with blood, but he was deftly deflecting the young sorcerer’s spells, despite his snarls of pain.

Agatha paled.

Tedros wasn’t with him.

“Agatha, listen to me,” Hester hissed. “Hook’s dead. Ani killed Briar Rose’s fairy and I killed my zombie-mother, pretending like I was happy to see her. All that’s left is Jack’s giant, Riding Hood’s wolf, and Cinderella’s stepmother. We’ll do everything we can to keep that shield from falling. But you have to find Sophie—”

“WHERE’S TEDROS!” Agatha demanded.

“HE’S FINE. PRINCE LOSER IS FINE,” Hester lashed. “Lance is keeping him away from the School Master, all right?” She pointed across the forest at Tedros, brandishing Excalibur and barreling at ogres the way he once barreled at Lancelot on the moors, while Chaddick flew over the prince on a stymph, taking out wounded ogres with fiery arrows. “But you don’t have time to help him or check on him or get anywhere near him, so don’t even try it,” Hester berated. “We need you to find Sophie now. Ten minutes, Agatha.”

Agatha met her eyes. “Ten minutes.”

“Hurry,” Hester begged before running to help Dot and Riding Hood.

On a breath, Agatha tore in the opposite direction, eyes peeled for Sophie, as she leapt over fallen students and zombies. A boom echoed behind her and she spun to see Jack’s giant fall to the ground, leveled by Kiko, Beatrix, and Reena who’d firebombed him from the height of the trees, while Anadil, Jack, and Briar Rose distracted him from below. Behind them, the wolf was advancing on Red Riding Hood, with Dot seemingly hurt on the ground. But just as the wolf’s jaws closed over Red Riding Hood’s head, Dot thrust out her glowing fingertip and turned the wolf’s jaws to chocolate. His chocolate teeth sunk into Red Riding Hood, crumbling down to the gums. When he recoiled in shock, Hester had a fire-tipped arrow waiting for him.

Agatha heaved relief, scanning for Sophie. The old heroes were safe for now. The shield wouldn’t fall—

Her eyes bulged.

Cinderella was frozen near the shield, seeing her undead stepsisters for the first time. Agatha watched Ella’s face melt to happiness, taking in the beloved sisters she’d once loved more than anyone else. It didn’t matter that they were spear-wielding zombies or that they were on Evil’s side. Like a moth to fire, Ella drifted towards them, hands up in peace. The closer she drew, the more her stepsisters’ gnarled faces softened in turn, their grip on their spears weakening, as if they too felt the stirrings of old love for their sister, erasing all new orders to hurt her. Cinderella slowly held out her arms towards them, a beautiful glow spreading across her face . . .

She didn’t hear her stepmother behind her with the axe.

“No!” Agatha cried, sprinting forwards—

Cinderella turned too late.