The Castleteria was bustling with activity as students ate lunch. Hagatha, the lunch lady, was an expert at fixing meals for all sorts of palates and all sizes of stomachs. Porridge was always on the menu, as were curds and whey. The day’s lunch special was cheeseburgers, grilled by dragon fire, with a helping of enormous green beans, provided by the giants. Duchess really liked green things, so her plate was piled high.
She sat at her regular table. Sometimes Lizzie ate with her, but sometimes Lizzie joined the other students from Wonderland. Duchess had tried sitting with them, but the constant stream of Riddlish had made her head hurt. She’d tried sitting with the other Royal princesses, but the conversation always turned to the tension between the Royals and the Rebels, which ruined her appetite. Those Rebels were always creating drama when it wasn’t needed. They should be focused on their grades and doing their best, like she did.
Duchess didn’t mind eating alone, especially on that particular day. She had a lot to think about. She picked up a giant green bean and began to gnaw on it the way one gnaws on an ear of corn. What rotten and nasty thing could she do by Friday? How could she compete with students whose blood contained the DNA for evil?
“Hello, fellow fairytales,” a voice called. The mirrors mounted on the Castleteria walls suddenly lit up. “It’s time for a brand-new edition of Just Right!” Theme music for the popular MirrorCast began to play. Everyone stopped eating, or walking, or talking, or all of the above, and turned to watch the nearest mirror. A face appeared—a very smiley, very perky, very pretty face that belonged to Blondie Lockes, the host of the show.
Blondie, the daughter of Goldilocks, told everyone that she was a Royal, though this was in doubt. She called herself a reporter, but in Duchess’s opinion, that was also in doubt. Blondie was a snoop, and no information was safe around her.
“As usual, I have the latest scoop on what’s happening at Ever After High,” she announced with a smile.
Even Duchess set down her green bean. Blondie might have been as annoying as a feather tickling one’s nose, but who doesn’t love the latest gossip? What was Blondie going to spill today? A secret romance? A broken curfew? Another student deciding to become a Rebel?
Blondie’s mane of thick curls bounced against her shoulders. “On this very morning, Raven Queen and five other students in the General Villainy class were named the worst group of future evildoers in the history of our school by Mr. Badwolf. And that is a direct quote from the spider who sat beside her.”
Murmurs arose in the Castleteria. Duchess looked across the room to the corner table where Raven was sitting. She was watching a mirror, just like everyone else.
“But Raven and the others have a chance to make things just right.” Blondie pressed her face so close to the camera you could count her freckles. “Each student in General Villainy must commit a rotten and nasty act by the end of school on Friday or fairy-fail the assignment. She or he who commits the most rotten and nasty act by the end of school on Friday will get an A and the chance to pick a prize from Mr. Badwolf’s treasure vault.” Blondie adjusted the bow that sat on top of her head. “The student who wins will be on the right path to evil success. Will it be Raven? Will it be Sparrow or Lizzie? The question of the week is: Who will be the Next Top Villain?”
The words NEXT TOP VILLAIN filled the mirror.
“It’s gonna be me!” The camera shot widened. Faybelle stood beside Blondie and looked right into the camera. “Raven Queen doesn’t want to be a villain, and the rest of the students are all do-gooders. I’m gonna win for sure. Faybelle, Faybelle, she’s the one. She’s the one who’ll make evil fun!” She did a couple of super-high kicks.
Blondie stepped in front of the bouncing cheerhexer. “You heard it here first. Faybelle Thorn claims she’s going to be Ever After High’s Next Top Villain. I’ll see you soon with the latest scoop. Remember, if it’s not too hot or too cold, it must be Just Right!” The mirror returned to normal. Raven Queen went back to eating her cheeseburger. And everyone else went back to living their fairytale lives.
“What are we going to do?” Lizzie asked as she slid next to Duchess onto the bench. Her lunch tray held a pot of tea and a plate of little heart-shaped sandwiches. She dropped four sugar cubes into her teacup. “I don’t want to do something rotten and nasty.”
“But there’s so much pressure to live up to my mother’s reputation.” Lizzie sighed. “You’re so lucky you don’t have to worry about what other people think.”
“Lucky?” Duchess pushed the green beans aside. “I’m also feeling the pressure. My family insists that I get perfect grades.”
“Hexpectations, schmexpectations!” Lizzie said as she stirred her tea. “As we say in Wonderland, out of the moat and into the boat.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we’re in the same boat,” Lizzie said. “The same predicament. How are we going to pass this class when neither of us is a villain at heart?” Then she looked up and groaned. “Oh no, here he comes.”
Daring Charming strode across the Castleteria on a direct course for their table, his groupies close behind. Duchess grabbed a napkin and wiped her mouth. Then she fussed with her hair and her pearls. Was he still looking for someone to take that stroll with him?
“Ladies,” he said, striking a manly pose. “I’m sure you’re charmed to see me again.”
“Hello, Daring,” Lizzie said, sounding about as prickly as a hedgehog. She took a bite from one of her sandwiches. “What do you want now?”
“I’m getting my hair trimmed this afternoon. I give the clippings to my favorite charity, BGGB. Blond Guys Gone Bald.” He smiled, and Lizzie’s silver teapot illuminated. “I usually get a good turnout audience-wise, so I wanted you to know that I’m happy to save a seat for you. You might get a few bits of hair in your eyes, but that’s a small price to pay for a front-row view.”
“I’ll go,” Duchess said.
Daring ignored her. He stared expectantly at Lizzie. “I’m awaiting your reply.”
Hello? Did she blend into the wallpaper? I’m right here.
“I’m way too busy,” Lizzie said. “I’ve got serious thronework to do.”
“Then, as the perfect hero, I offer my assistance to the damsel-in-distress.” With a flourish of his brawny arm, he bowed. How romantic! Duchess’s heart did a little tap dance behind her rib cage. “I shall assist you, Ms. Lizzie Hearts, with your thronework.”
But rather than accept an offer of help from the most handsome prince on campus, Lizzie Hearts rolled her eyes. “It’s not for Damsel-In-Distressing class, Daring. Besides, you can’t help. You don’t know anything about being a villain.”
“Well, that’s true. I excel at all things goodly and courageous. But perhaps we could—”
“I gotta go,” Lizzie said as she scrambled to her feet. “See you later, Duchess.” Then she grabbed her tray and hurried away. Daring stared after her, his perfect face clenched in a puzzled expression. Clearly, he wasn’t used to being turned down.
“I’ve got the same thronework,” Duchess told him hopefully. Would he bow and offer to help?
But before she could explain further, Prince Daring Charming was already walking away.
“Totally awkward.” Sparrow Hood slid onto the bench and grabbed one of her green beans. “How can you eat this stuff? I mean, don’t get me wrong—I like the color green. But these things are so stringy I could make music with them.” Then he pretended to play the bean. “Hey, do you know you’ve got a little something stuck between your front teeth?”
Duchess’s hand flew to her mouth, and she picked out a green bean string. Great. She’d smiled right at Daring. This day just kept getting better and better. “What do you want, Sparrow?”
“Chill, Swan. I just wanted to talk to you about something.” He glanced over his shoulder, then lowered his voice. “I think we should team up.”
“Team up? And do what?”
“And live happily forever after.”
She froze. Those three words made her stomach clench. “You know that’s not my destiny.”
He pushed his hat off his brow and grinned. “Relax, I’m just messing with you. Actually, I was thinking we could team up and win this villain thing.”
“And why would I do that?”
“Because we’re both outsiders.” He leaned his elbows on the table, and his voice took on a conspiratorial tone. “Look, the rest of them—Ginger, Lizzie, Raven, and Faybelle—they’ve got evil in their blood. But as far as I know, you don’t have a drop and neither do I. And to make things worse, my dad was a do-gooder. The odds are against us, Swan. But if we team up, we might just ace it.”
“You don’t care about grades,” Duchess said. “Besides, Mr. Badwolf said that only one student will get the A.” She narrowed her eyes. “I know what you’re doing. All you care about is your music. Everyone knows you hate thronework. You’re trying to trick me into doing all the work for you.”
He put a hand on his chest. “Oh, Swan, you’re breaking my heart. How can you say such things? Don’t you know there’s something else I care about? Something other than my songs?” He leaned close and gazed into her eyes.
Duchess took a sharp breath. Was this his way of telling her that he liked her? “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said coolly.
“My dad’s motto was ‘Rob from the rich and give to the poor.’” He jangled a golden wristband. “But my motto is ‘Rob from everyone and give to me.’” He swung his legs around and stood. “You can have the grade, but I want to pick the prize from Mr. Badwolf’s treasure vault.” Then he slung his guitar over his shoulder. “So, whadda ya say? Are we going to do a duet?”
She frowned. Sharing a thronework assignment with the one guy in school who was known for his laziness was the last thing she wanted to do. But he had a point. Without a drop of evil in their blood, how could they compete?
“I’ll think about it,” she said.