Chapter 22

Horsing Around

It was a terribly long night. Lizzie didn’t speak a word to Duchess. In fact, she built a wall out of cards, separating the sides of the room. There was lots of tossing and turning by both roommates, neither of them able to sleep. Even Pirouette seemed ruffled by the tension. She sat in her nest, preening excessively.

But now it was Friday morning. Mr. Badwolf’s announcement would be made at the end of the day. Duchess would get the grade and the title. And Sparrow would get to pick a prize from the treasure vault. These were the positive thoughts that Duchess replayed in her mind as she got dressed in her riding gear.

Lizzie refused to walk with her to their Princessology class. Even Shuffle gave her the cold, prickly shoulder. Whispers filled the hall. Students were looking at her differently. Was it respect for her accomplishments, or was it judgment? What did she care? Soon she’d be the prima ballerina. She shot a glare at Daring Charming. Soon you won’t need to be reminded of my name! Her head held high, her chin out, she walked past all the gawkers. I don’t need any of you. I’m going to change my destiny, and you can’t stop me. Maybe Headmaster Grimm was right. Maybe she had a black swan side after all.

After grabbing a quick bite at the Castleteria, she looked around for Sparrow but didn’t find him. Raven’s picture had a big gold X over it, but there was no title beneath Duchess’s picture. Soon, she told herself.

By the time she reached the stable, the other princesses were mounted and ready. Each had color-coordinated their riding attire to match their saddles and bridles. Manes had been braided, curled, and beaded. Hooves had been polished and painted. Lizzie had stenciled red hearts all over her horse. Raven’s wore a black tiara.

“Excellent accessorizing,” Mrs. Her Majesty the White Queen said as she made her rounds. “Magnificent mani-curses. Stupendous styling.” Then she came to a dead stop at Duchess’s horse. Duchess had been so busy with her General Villainy thronework, and so worried about her friendship with Lizzie, she’d forgotten about appearances. “Going au naturel?” Mrs. Her Majesty asked with a curled lip. “A princess should never be seen on a plain horse. I do hope your riding skills make up for this unfortunate lapse.”

“They will,” Duchess assured her as she settled onto the saddle.

Blondie rode up to her. “Do you want to say anything to the viewers?”

“No.”

“What about to Lizzie? Do you want to publicly apologize?”

Pretending not to hear the question, Duchess grabbed the reins and nudged her horse out of the stable.

The grandstand was full. Usually, no one would care about a Princessology thronework assignment. But thanks to Blondie Lockes and her Just Right MirrorCast, the drama between Lizzie and Duchess was all anyone was talking about. Even the teachers were in attendance, including Mr. Badwolf. As Duchess rode past, she caught bits of student conversation. “I hope Duchess fairy-fails. She deserves it for what she did to Lizzie.” There were some boos directed at her. And lots of glaring.

If you want approval, then don’t be a Rebel.

When Lizzie rode past the grandstand, Daring stood and cheered. The other princesses rode in a protective clump around her. “If Duchess fails, it will be sweet revenge for Lizzie,” someone said.

Duchess knew she wouldn’t fail. She was the best rider among them. She could ride with her eyes closed.

She was the first to take the course. The happy villagers, the angry villagers, the troll bridge, the dragon poop, the rainstorm, windstorm, and fairy hail—nothing forced her horse from the golden path. Duchess finished in record time. Mrs. Her Majesty greeted her at the end of the course and congratulated her with a perfect score.

Ashlynn, Briar, Apple, and the others took their turns. Despite a few setbacks—Ashlynn stopped to converse with a chipmunk, and Briar fell asleep on the troll bridge—they each made it to the end of the course. Then the princesses dismounted and gathered to watch the final rider. Duchess stood off to the side, alone.

Lizzie looked pretty in her gear. She’d tied a bright red sash around her waist. But she was visibly nervous, her riding crop shaking. She waved at the grandstand. Daring cheered her on. Then, her teeth clenched, her hands gripping the reins, she kicked her horse. It didn’t budge. She kicked it again. It ate some grass. “I order you to go!” she hollered. After reaching back and nipping Lizzie’s boot, the equally temperamental horse began to walk down the path.

Blondie sashayed over, her curly locks bouncing even after she’d come to a stop next to Duchess. “How does it feel to be a terrible roommate?” she whispered. “Do you feel bad about what you did?”

“No comment.” Duchess pushed the MirrorPad away.

Then she turned toward the forest. She didn’t want to see Lizzie fail the test. Two failures in as many days would be so humiliating. But there was no way to help her at this point. Lizzie would either keep to the golden path or she wouldn’t. Gasps arose from the grandstand, but no screams, which meant Lizzie was managing to stay in the saddle. Maybe she’d make it. Duchess crossed her fingers.

But wait, what was that?

Sparrow Hood stood at the edge of the field, his green pants and hat blending perfectly into the forest backdrop. He set an amp on the ground, then slipped his guitar strap over his head. What was he doing? Was he going to play his guitar in the middle of Lizzie’s test? Why would he do that? Didn’t he remember that his muse-ic upset the horses?

Sparrow looked straight at her and smiled.

Duchess took a sharp breath. Of course he remembered.

The first chord shot out of the amp like an icicle to the brain. The second chord made her bones vibrate. As Sparrow launched into a frenzied string of chords, screaming arose from the grandstand.

Duchess whipped around. Lizzie’s horse had gone into a wild rampage, its nostrils flared, its eyes wild. It charged right through a pile of dragon poop and headed for the troll bridge and the deep ravine.

“Help!” Lizzie cried. Her riding crop fell from her hand as she leaned forward to grip the horse’s mane. If she was thrown into that ravine…

Daring Charming leaped from the grandstand. “I’ll save you!” he called as he ran onto the obstacle course. But even though his legs were long and he was the best damsel-rescuer in the school, he would never be able to catch up to the horse, which was nearing the troll bridge at a full gallop. Mrs. Her Majesty the White Queen shouted for help into the receiver of an Emergency Prince Patrol phone. Blondie held her MirrorPad aloft, the record light glowing red. The other princesses watched with expressions of horror. Raven’s face had gone paler than usual, and she stared helplessly at the unfolding chaos. Mr. Badwolf stood on one of the grandstand benches, straining to get a better view. Sparrow stopped playing. Tragedy was about to strike, and no one could get to Lizzie in time to stop it.

And then, just before the horse reached the bridge, the troll jumped out and blocked its path. With a terrified whinny, the horse skidded to a stop. Lizzie lost her grip and was thrown into the air. She shrieked, her hands flailing as she reached out for something, for anything, that would stop her fall.

Duchess didn’t try to hide the transformation. Before she’d even come up with a plan, she was in the air, soaring across the pasture, her wings beating as they’d never beat before. With a dancer’s instinct and precision, she streamlined her body and flew at record speed. Lizzie began her descent, past the troll bridge and into the ravine. Every muscle in Duchess’s body burned, but she pumped faster and faster until…

… she swooped into the ravine and grabbed Lizzie’s red sash in her beak. But the weight was too much for Duchess’s wings, and, together, the roommates began to plummet.

If Duchess Swan knew one thing, it was this: When she thought her body could take no more, she could always find a last reserve of strength. This was what ballet had taught her. All those endless hours of training, of practicing a movement over and over until she thought she’d collapse. Then she’d dig deeper and find what she needed.

Her eyes closed, Duchess found what she needed, and she pumped those wings, until she gently lowered Lizzie onto the ground.

And then everything went black.