Twenty-Two

“Clio,” Ms. Demi said with a look of surprise. “What happened? Are these two in trouble?”

Layla shoved Ava and Fia through the door of her office.

“Yes,” she said. “But it’s me, Layla.”

Ms. Demi sighed. “Layla, I told you not to transform into teachers. You’ll get a strike—”

Arnold ducked in after them. “A little late for that.”

Ava poured out the story. Ms. Demi’s eyes widened when Ava came to the part about her mom’s file, then Mr. Orion bursting in on them. When she explained how the headmaster had taken away Fia’s voice before expelling her, Ava noticed a flash of anger cross Ms. Demi’s face. It confirmed she had come to the right place.

“Can you help her get her voice back?” Ava pleaded.

“I’m not strong enough to reverse this magic, and even if I was, I would anger Zeus. But there is something you can do. Take Fia to Poveglia.”

“Poveglia? Where my mom went?”

“Yes. There’s someone there who may be able to help Fia. But I am bound by my oath to Zeus not to tell you more.”

Layla shape-shifted back into herself. “But no captain would ever agree to take them to Poveglia! No one is allowed there. Venetians are really superstitious about it too, including me. Is there someone else who could help?”

“I’m afraid not,” Ms. Demi said.

“Can you get us there?” Ava asked. “I mean, if no captain will go—”

“If I did, I’d be breaking faculty rules and Hades would keep Persephone in the underworld even longer than he already does.”

“But I don’t know how to get to Poveglia without you!”

“I do,” Layla said quietly. “I’ll take you.”

Ava turned to her. “Are you sure?”

Layla sighed. “You clearly need me. And so does Fia.”

Arnold stepped forward. “I’m coming too.”

Fia frowned. Ava knew she was probably thinking that he’d lose his nerve again halfway there. But it was also obvious that he genuinely cared and wanted to help. It was just that he had no powers to protect them or himself either. Ava couldn’t stand the idea of him getting hurt.

“You’re in the least trouble of all of us—” she said.

“Zale already hung me upside down over the stairs tonight,” Arnold said. “So I’d actually feel safer with you.”

Ava had to admit he had a point.

“Take him,” Ms. Demi said. “You need all the help you can get. When you get to Poveglia, have him stay outside the insane asylum as a lookout.”

Layla blinked nervously. “The insane asylum? We need to go in there?”

Ms. Demi nodded. “I promise, you’ll be safe. And though I can’t help you in big ways, I can still help you in small, invisible ones.” Ms. Demi ran over to her desk, unlocked a drawer, and rustled around in it. “There’s something I’ve been saving for you, Ava. As soon as I find it, I want you to go.”

“I’m sorry, Arnold,” Ava whispered to him once Ms. Demi was out of earshot. “I forgot to check your file. I meant to and then Mr. Orion—”

“It’s okay.” He shrugged sadly. “I think I’ll always be powerless anyway. But I still don’t like what Mr. Orion did to Fia. Maybe there’s some other way I can help.”

Ms. Demi raced back over. “Here it is!” She handed Ava a golden mask. It was shaped like a human skull, with empty sockets for the eyes and nose and long, lipless teeth.

“But I already have a mask,” Ava said.

“This isn’t a Carnival mask. It’s from my daughter. Only you can wear it, Ava. Fia, take this.”

She handed Fia a small silver lighter. “You’ve lost your fire, child, but not your spark. You may find this useful, especially on Poveglia.”

“Thank you,” Ava said. “You’ve been so kind to me and Fia too. Thank you for your help.”

Ms. Demi glanced at Fia, then back at Ava. “I was too scared to help your mother. But I wanted to.”

She opened her door and scanned the hallway before glancing back at Layla. “Quickly now, transform back into Ms. Clio and escort them out the back door.”

Layla obediently transformed—Ava noticed she had become much more controlled about it—then waved Ava, Fia, and Arnold after her. Ms. Demi followed them into the hall but headed off in the opposite direction, toward the staircase. They had gone only a few yards when Ava heard voices coming down the stairs, then a rumbling, tense voice breaking out of the pack.

“Ms. Demi, have you seen Mr. Orion?” Zale asked.

“No, Zale,” Ms. Demi said. “I thought he was upstairs at the ball.”

“He came down to—hey! Is that Ava, Fia, and Arnold down there?”

“Steady,” Ava whispered to Layla and Arnold. “Don’t run.”

“Hmmm, Ms. Clio is with them,” Ms. Demi said. “They seem to be in some sort of trouble.”

Ava waited for Fia to whisper Well at least that part’s the truth. But then she remembered that Fia couldn’t say anything at all. Ava ached to hear her sharp, funny voice again.

“Big trouble,” Zale said. “Maybe he’s in his office.”

Layla led them around the corner. Out of sight, they picked up their pace, Layla loping in a way Ava could never imagine the real Ms. Clio doing, until they reached the back door. They stopped for a moment and scanned the hall. Leaving the Accademia without permission was a multiple strike–worthy offense. But in a single evening, Ava had already racked up a long list of equally serious offenses. There was no turning back.

“Ms. Clio?”

The voice behind them made Ava jump. She whirled around to find a tall white skeleton in a white ball gown holding a Grim Reaper sickle. Fia was the first to recover her wits. She waved at the skeleton, and then Ava recognized its blue eyes and long black hair.

“Hi, Fia,” Cassie said. “Where are you going?”

Ava jumped in to answer for Fia. “Ms. Clio asked us to help her with some, uh—”

She looked helplessly at Layla.

“Decorations,” Layla said. “For the ball.”

“I can help too, Ms. Clio,” Cassie said.

“Thank you, Cassie, I have enough helpers,” Layla said. “Go back upstairs.”

But Cassie didn’t move. Her eyes were losing focus, becoming glassy. Fia shook her, but it was too late. Cassie’s eyes rolled back in her head.

“Over water, under water, you will go, Medusa’s daughter,” she sang in a high, whispery voice.

Before anyone could respond, Cassie’s eyes returned to normal. “Okay, Ms. Clio,” she said as if nothing had happened. “I’ll see you up there.”

Then she skipped away, tapping her sickle against the ground.

“Um, that didn’t sound good,” Layla said.

“She’s only been right once,” Arnold said.

Fia pointed at her lips and gave him a hard stare.

“Okay, so it was about something important,” Arnold replied.

“If it’s my destiny, I don’t have a choice anyway,” Ava said. “But it may not be the rest of yours. If you want to turn back now, I’d understand.”

Layla and Arnold exchanged glances. Then both shook their heads.

“For better or worse, we’re all in this together,” Layla said.

Ava knew she was facing danger, maybe even death, but her heart was suddenly full. Whatever happened, she wouldn’t be alone. She had friends who wanted to stand by her no matter what. She wasn’t a freak to them, even though they knew exactly who she was.

Ava took a deep breath, then pushed open the large, wooden door. It was dark outside, but a blast of music and laughter burst in from the crowded Carnival streets. She grabbed Fia’s hand, then slipped on the skull mask.

“Let’s go.”