“Hey, Sophie—” said Nicola, jolting Sophie back to attention. “I wanted to thank you for sending a letter to my Pa. Even if something happens to me tonight, at least he’ll know I was thinking of him.”
“Of course. I am still your Dean after all, even if you’re no longer in my school,” said Sophie, eyeing the first year hawkishly. “Though I might have to send another letter to your father telling him that you’re snooping on the Dean’s boyfriend and pretending that I asked you to do it.”
Nicola didn’t flinch. “I wanted to check something. That’s why I lied to Rhian and said what I said. But I was wrong.”
“Wrong about what?”
“It’s nothing. If I was right, Merlin would have come back already.”
Sophie frowned. “What does Merlin have to do with this?”
Nicola didn’t answer, watching Willam and Bogden pass in front of Rhian and Tedros as they got more food.
“Hey, Bogden. Should I still be wary of gifts?” Tedros asked.
Willam and Bogden both turned around.
“Very wary,” said Bogden.
“If you value your life, that is,” said Willam.
“But he has a wedding coming,” said Rhian, nudging Tedros. “He’s going to get a lot of gifts.”
“Maybe we should put ‘No Gifts’ on the invitation,” Tedros said, nudging Rhian back.
“Ignore them,” Willam murmured to Bogden, pushing him along. “My brother told me to stay away from Tedros.”
“Your brother?” Tedros said, still laughing. “Who’s your brother?”
Willam didn’t answer.
“Can I ask you a question?” Nicola said, turning to Sophie. “Do you find the Snake’s attacks . . . odd?”
“Odd?” Sophie said. “What do you mean?”
“In storybooks, Evil’s advantage is that it attacks and Good has to defend. That’s the number one rule of Good and Evil. So Evil usually does everything it can to make sure its attacks are a surprise,” said Nicola. “But the Snake always seems to tell us when he’s attacking. We knew he was going to attack the Four Point. We knew he was going to attack Nottingham. We know when he’s going to attack tonight. I mean, what villain gives you a time when he’s coming for you?”
Sophie pondered this. “Maybe it’s his way of making sure he gets to fight Tedros himself.”
“Maybe,” said Nicola. “But it seems strange somehow . . . artificial, even. Like he’s setting something up.”
Sophie peered at her, mind churning—
Professor Dovey suddenly swept into the dining room, her hair a mess, her face tired and gaunt, and a bag on her arm.
“I came as soon as I could,” she said to Tedros. “I did what you asked—I cast a barrier over the outer gates so the scims can’t fly in. It’s a spell the School Master showed Lesso and me to seal the school in a crisis. If Rafal’s sealing of the Sheriff’s sack worked on the Snake, then the barrier is guaranteed to work too—” She coughed, clutching at her throat. “Sorry . . . I’m feeling a bit . . .”
“Professor Dovey, you shouldn’t be here!” Nicola said, running up to her. “Merlin sent you a note telling you not to come!”
“And Tedros sent me a note saying he needed me,” Good’s Dean countered, turning to the king. “What else can I do to hel—”
Her knees buckled, her body starting to slump. Instantly, Tedros seized her waist and propped her up. Sophie and Agatha sprinted to help him.
“I’m okay—I just . . . I just need to sit down—” Professor Dovey stammered.
“I’ll take her into my room,” said Agatha, grabbing her from Tedros.
“I’ll come with you,” said Sophie, taking one of Dovey’s arms.
“I’ll come too—” Tedros started.
“No,” Agatha said to him. “Get the others in position.”
Sophie noticed her friend’s voice was unusually harsh, but Agatha’s focus stayed on Good’s Dean, helping her towards the queen’s chamber at the end of the hall.
As soon as Professor Dovey was safely inside, Agatha closed the door. “Tedros should never have sent for you,” she said, laying the Dean on the bed. “And you should have stayed at school like Merlin told you to, Professor.”
“When Camelot’s king calls for me, I will always be there,” Professor Dovey rasped, hacking another cough. “It’s this crystal ball. . . . I’ve told Merlin I can’t handle it alone. . . .” She pointed at her bag, half-open. Through the flap, Sophie could see the top of the glowing orb. “I brought it here in case something happens to me.”
“Nothing will happen to you,” said Sophie, feeling the Dean’s forehead. “You just have a slight fever. That’s all.”
“But no more using this ball until you’re better,” Agatha said, taking the Dean’s bag and slinging it onto her arm.
In the hallway, the clock struck a quarter hour. 11:45. Fifteen minutes left.
“And until you’re better, you’re to stay here and rest,” said Sophie. “Don’t move from this room.”
“That’s an order, Professor,” said Agatha—
But Professor Dovey was already snuffling softly, fast asleep.
Sophie blew out the lamp and closed the door.
The two girls slipped onto the Blue Tower balcony, only a short distance from Excalibur, still protected by the glass lockbox, while the fleet of guards usually manning it had been dispatched to the perimeter with the army.
“I’m worried about Dovey,” said Agatha, tucking the Dean’s bag in a corner of the balcony.
“You heard her. It’s that crystal ball. Whatever she’s been doing with it clearly drains her,” said Sophie. “Just keep it away from her and she’ll get better—”
“Tedros knew she was ill. He could see it when she appeared on the ship. Why would he make her come all the way here in the dead of night? Why would he risk Professor Dovey’s life?” Agatha harped. “And then that rambling speech in the Hall . . . and going to see Lady Gremlaine instead of taking Lance into Sherwood Forest, where Lance would have been safe . . . and everything that happened at the coronation . . .” Agatha shook her head, a sad look clouding her face. “Maybe you’re right about him.”
Sophie stared at her. “Right about what?”
“Don’t make me say it. I know full well you doubt him as a king,” said Agatha. “I believe in Tedros. I really do. I defend him as much as I can. His quest for glory was to be a true king to Camelot. And I want him to succeed. But sometimes . . . sometimes he just doesn’t think like a king. Or act like one. And the fact I’m saying this when my quest was to be his queen . . . well, maybe I’m failing my quest too.”
Her focus moved back to Sophie, who’d gone stiff as a board. For a moment, she thought her friend was shocked at her confession—but then she noticed Sophie’s eyes. They weren’t looking at her. They were looking past her.
Slowly Agatha turned.
“It’s five minutes until midnight,” said Tedros, shadowed under the balcony. “Sophie, you should be with Rhian.”
“Of course,” Sophie said, giving Agatha a nervous glance before hurrying away.