Crowns and Curses

by V. B. Marlowe

  “But L-Lily—” Gretchen stammered.

  Lily grabbed her arm. “It’s okay, Gretch. I'll tell Ms. Dillinger the truth. This was my idea, and I woke everyone up."

  Gretchen shook her head at Lily and looked like she was about to say something else, but Lily gave her a sharp looked that kept her quiet.

  Ms. Dillinger sighed. “Listen, we are doing everything we can to keep you girls safe, but you have to do your part by following our instructions. Did you forget already what happened the other night?”

  “No, Ms. Dillinger,” the girls replied.

  Ms. Dillinger shone her lantern on each of them. “This better be the last time I have to tell you.”

  “Yes, Ms. Dillinger.”

  Ms. Dillinger snapped her fingers. "Everyone to your bedrooms now."

  “Yes, Ms. Dillinger,” the girls muttered again in unison.

  “Do I have to start waking up every hour to check on you girls?”

  “No, Ms. Dillinger.”

  Seeming to be satisfied with that response, Ms. Dillinger took Allison’s arm and led her back to her bedroom as the others made their way to their own. Isleen glanced over her shoulder before entering her bedroom. In the warm, yellow light of the lantern, she could make out the silhouette of Allison turning to Ms. Dillinger. "Izzy's gone mad."

  14

  Lily

  DAYBREAK BROUGHT A SHARP knock to Lily’s bedroom door. She had been sitting in her rocking chair staring at the wall overwhelmed with emotion. She was feeling a dangerous combination of fear, rage, and anxiety. Lily hadn’t been able to get a moment of sleep. It was hard to rest peacefully while sharing a house with someone who’d tried to murder you. She really wasn’t in the mood to speak to anyone, but she knew she owed her friends some answers.

  Without a word, she unlocked her door and opened it wide for everyone to come in. Gretchen, Jolie, Marina, Scarlett, and Oriana filed into the room.

  “We filled them in,” Gretchen announced as Lily closed the door behind them.

  “I can’t believe she would do that,” Marina said. “I mean, we all know Izzy’s crazy, but I had no idea she was that crazy.”

  Scarlett shook her head, sending her red curls bouncing. “I don’t get it. Why did you lie for her, Lily? Why didn’t you tell Ms. Dillinger what Izzy had done? She needs to be dealt with. As a matter of fact, we’re going to Ms. Dillinger right now.”

  Scarlett stormed toward the door, but Lily grabbed her arm. “No. Don’t.”

  Scarlett narrowed her eyes. “Why are you covering for her? You should be angrier than all of us.”

  Lily had a good reason for not telling Ms. Dillinger what had happened. "I am angry, but right now I have to focus on what's productive. Izzy is going to pay for this, don't worry about that, but for the time being, we need her. She is the only one who can find the alter-realms. If we get her in trouble and she gets locked up, she'll clam up and not tell us anything. We may never find the next pen. We need to get what we need out of her and then she will be dealt with."

  The room fell silent as the girls seemed to think things over. “But what about our safety?” Jolie asked. “What happens when she tries to kill someone in the middle of the night again?”

  Lily nodded. "I've thought about that. We just have to keep our doors locked and set barricades in front of them. Izzy's not some diabolical villain. She only got into my room because I opened the door for her. If I hadn't done that, she wouldn't have gotten to me. I thought she was Allison. I was stupid. I should have checked first."

  “What about Allison?” Marina said. “What if Izzy goes after her?”

  Lily had thought about that too. "Don't worry about Allison. I'll make sure she sleeps with me. I won't let Izzy get to her." Isleen hurting Allison was the last thing she was going to let happen.

  Oriana scratched her head. “So, for now, we're just supposed to act like none of this happened? Like she didn't try to kill you."

  Lily slid her feet into her slippers. "Yes. I know it will be hard, but we have to for the good of everyone, or we'll never get out of here." She looked around the group. "I promise you, Izzy will get what's coming to her, but right now I need you to promise me that we'll keep this to ourselves."

  Reluctantly, the girls made a pact to keep their silence on the matter before heading off to breakfast.

  15

  Molly

  LATER THAT AFTERNOON MOLLY and Ms. Halifax sat across from each other. She had been in Ms. Halifax’s office for an hour discussing what could have happened the night Scarlett was released from her cage. Molly tapped her pen on her notepad. She had written down her list of suspects. At that present moment, it was a sad list with only two names—Isleen and Dr. Meyer, whose name had been crossed out.

  "I could have told you that," Ms. Halifax had been saying. "That room is airtight. He's not getting out of there."

  Molly shrugged. “Well, you can’t blame me for trying. We have to admit that he has a motive. He’s certainly angry enough to do something like that.” Molly eyed Ms. Halifax as she smoothed down the collar of her finely-pressed blouse. “You have any better ideas?”

  Ms. Halifax’s gaze was fixed on something just over Molly’s head. “Sure. There are a lot of people living in this house. It could be anyone.” She made eye contact with Molly, causing her to shiver. Molly hoped she wasn’t suggesting that she was a suspect. That would be ludicrous.

  “What does that mean?” Molly asked.

  “It means there are a lot of people in this house and any of them could be a suspect.”

  Molly sank into the couch, tossing her notepad aside. "Yes, but what would be their motive?"

  Ms. Halifax rose and moved toward her desk. "I know this is not what anyone wants to hear right now but what was Dr. Meyer's motive?"

  “He was acting on what the witches had ordered him to do.”

  Ms. Halifax sat behind her desk and raised an eyebrow.

  Molly didn’t want to think about what she was suggesting. “You think the witches might have gotten to someone else and has been using them? But who? And how?”

  "Ms. Dillinger, everyone who works at Everly seems perfectly lovely, but despite living in close quarters for so many years, I don't feel like I really know them. I have no idea what they were like before they were brought here. They could tell me a lot of things, and I would have no way of knowing if there were true or not."

  As much as Molly didn’t want to admit it, Ms. Halifax was right. She didn’t really know anyone. Even though she had been learning a lot about Owen, did she really know him?

  Molly tried not to feel frustrated, but she couldn't help it. "So how do we figure out who it is?"

  “Keep a close eye on everyone. They will slip up eventually. What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light. Dr. Meyer could vouch for that.”

  Before Molly could respond, Gretchen and Jolie burst into the office.

  Gretchen bounced up and down on her toes. "We think we finally have it!"

  Jolie stirred something in a silver pot cradled in her left arm. “We made a mixture and tried it on a variety of plants. They disintegrated immediately. I mean they turned to dust and just crumbled. Don’t let it touch your hair though. It’ll make you bald.”

  Molly peeked inside the pot. The yellowish-orange liquid had a horrible smell. She frowned and covered her nose. “Girls, this is wonderful!” Then she turned to Ms. Halifax. “What now?”

  "Bea should be waking soon if she hasn't already. She needs to know about this immediately. She'll be able to cast a spell to multiply it and then we can apply it to the beanstalks."

  Moments later they were all gathered in the kitchen. Ms. Bea entered with Ms. Halifax on her heels. Molly had to admit that she looked refreshed as if she’d just come back from a long vacation. The girls, minus Isleen, wrapped her in a group hug.

  The kitchen staff had been asked to leave, and dinner preparation had been postponed. The girls pulled out every pot and pan avai
lable in the kitchen and Bea worked her newly-revived magic. Within minutes the pots were filled with Jolie and Gretchen's creation. The liquid was then transferred into spray bottles.

  Bea handed the first full one to Molly. “We’ll work on the beanstalks covering the back door and then tackle the ones covering other doors and windows first.”

  Molly hurried outside to obey the orders. She knelt down and sprayed the bottom of a beanstalk, hoping the liquid would soak down to the roots. Miraculously, it started to crumble, working its way up until it looked like nothing more than a pile of green ash. Quickly she moved to another one and repeated the same action. Before she knew it, there was an opening big enough for her to slip through. Sunlight flooded in, and she had to close her eyes since they had grown so accustomed to being in the dark. The girls joined her. As soon as Molly could fit in the crack, she slid herself through and basked in the warm sunlight. It felt like forever since she'd let it touch her skin.

  Molly held her arms out and spun around, taking in her gorgeous surroundings. She had almost forgotten how beautiful the backyard was. The pool was large and glistening. Jolie's garden was still in full bloom with an array of colorful flowers. She could even hear them singing. Only at Everly Academy would you find a literal singing garden. Around her, the bushes were formed into intricate shapes and beyond all the was an expansive forest.

  In the distance, Molly heard the buzz of a chainsaw and the shouts of men. Owen and Donald were still working on the vines on the other side of the house. Molly took off toward the sound. Once she rounded the corner of the house, she spotted them. Owen had the chainsaw posed to begin cutting when he froze and turned it off. He removed his safety goggles. "Molly? What are you doing out here? How did you get out?"

  Molly didn't bother to answer any of his questions, but instead, she ran toward him. She wrapped her hands around his neck and held him tightly. He smelled so good. She didn't realize until after she had hugged him how awkward it was. Owen's father watched them and lowered his chainsaw. Molly let go and stepped away from Owen. "I'm sorry, it's just that I missed you . . . I mean I'm just so glad to be out . . . I thought I would never get out of there."

  Owen grinned, and Molly's insides melted. "It's okay. I'm happy to see you too. Are you okay?"

  She nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “How’d you get out?” Donald asked.

  "Jolie and Gretchen. They worked together and cooked up a recipe to kill the beanstalks. We have a long way to go, but at least we can uncover the doors so we can come outside and get some sunlight in the house."

  She wanted to hug Owen again, but she refrained. Cheerful screams and squeals came from the backyard. Owen and Molly rounded the side of the house. The girls were running around, basking in the sunlight. Ms. Bea and Ms. Halifax were out there too and slowly, but surely the house staff emerged marveling in the sunshine and their new freedom.

  Owen put his arm around Molly and pulled her close to him. “I really did miss you.”

  Molly looked at the ground, hoping that her cheeks weren't beet red, but then suddenly she didn't care. She stood on her toes and planted a kiss square on Owen's lips. He kissed her back, and it was the best feeling she'd had in a long time.

  Everyone stayed outside until dusk, taking advantage of the fresh air they had missed so much. Owen and his father went to work on the rest of the beanstalks, filling paint sprayers with the plant killer to get the job done faster. Molly found Bea sitting on a bench staring into the darkening sky. Fireflies danced around the lanterns scattered throughout the yard. Waves rippled through the pool as Marina swam back and forth. The whole scene was truly magical.

  Bea took in a deep breath and inhaled. “How do you feel?” Molly asked.

  Bea closed her eyes. “Rejuvenated. I hate to leave the girls, but I must do that from time to time for everyone’s benefit.” She patted Molly’s knee. “But I knew they were in good hands. What have I missed?”

  Molly sighed. She told Bea about the situation with Scarlett and what had happened that night with the doors.

  Bea’s frowned furrowed. “I don’t know what to make of that, but I will definitely investigate. Thank you for holding down the fort.”

  “We really have to focus on the next pens,” Molly said. “We’ve been distracted, and we haven't made any headway with that yet."

  Bea closed her eyes and took another deep breath. “Definitely. That is our main focus for here on out.”

  Molly looked around them to make sure no one was within earshot. "There is something Ms. Halifax, and I have been worried about."

  Ms. Bea rubbed her hands together as a chill settled in the air. “What’s that?”

  “The night when Scarlett got out. There’s no way she could have gotten out on her own. Someone let her out.”

  Ms. Bea narrowed her eyes and aimed her gaze at the dark forest. “There’s only one person who would do something like that.”

  Molly shrugged. "I know what you're thinking. I know she can be awful, but I don't think even she would stoop that low. She was in just as much danger as the rest of us. I thought that Dr. Meyer might have found a way out of the attic, but that doesn't seem to be the case."

  Bea pressed her lips together so tightly they formed a thin line. “I don’t know how, but it’s Isleen’s doing. You don’t know her like I do. Don’t underestimate her level of depravity. She is her mother’s daughter after all.”

  Molly frowned. "What do you mean by that?" She remembered Owen mentioning how he felt that something had gone down between Ms. Bea and Izzy's mom. Clearly something major had happened that Ms. Bea hadn't been able to forgive and she’d transferred that resentment to Isleen.

  “Apples don’t fall from the tree. She’s just as evil as her mother.” Bea patted Molly’s leg again before rising from the bench. “I should go in and start preparations for a quick dinner and bedtime. I’ll see you inside.”

  Bea was clearly avoiding her question, so Molly watched her leave. After Bea was gone, Molly’s eyes were pulled to the edge of the forest where Scarlett sat alone. Molly thought she hadn’t been quite herself for the past few days. While she was normally playful and easygoing, lately she had been quiet and withdrawn.

  Molly took in the scene around her. Marina and Lily were splashing each other in the pool. Allison lay on her belly in a lawn chair watching them while flipping through a deck of cards. Jolie and Oriana ambled around the garden with their arms looped together, talking. Isleen stood at the edge of the house watching Owen and Donald work while Gretchen and Tress had kicked their shoes off to do cartwheels in the grass.

  Molly made her way over to Scarlett. “Hey, Scar. Is everything okay?”

  Scarlett nodded, but Molly knew a lie when she saw one. She lowered herself into the grass beside Scarlett, tucking her legs beneath her. “Why aren’t you hanging out with the others?”

  Scarlett shrugged, but Molly waited for her to answer. She wasn't the type to bite her tongue. Scarlett sighed deeply, rolling her eyes. "I feel weird around them now."

  Molly knew exactly why, but she wasn’t sure what to say to make Scarlett feel better. She would probably feel the same way if she were in Scarlett’s shoes.

  "I tried to hurt them," Scarlett said. "You and Ms. Halifax too. Even though they say it's okay, I know it's not. I know deep down they're afraid of me—I mean, they have every right to be, but it's still a terrible feeling when your best and only friends fear you."

  Molly touched her shoulder. “That’s exactly why they understand—because they are your best friends. I’m sure you’re more worried about this than they are.” Molly was thoughtful for a moment. “Scarlett, I’d like to keep this between us, but we have reason to believe that someone let you out of your cage that night. Ms. Halifax says that crates were placed in front of your door to keep it from opening, but someone had moved them.”

  Scarlett pursed her lips and wrapped a stray thread from her denim shorts around one finger. “You know, w
hen I shift, I do remember some things but not everything. I don’t recall anyone being down there with me or how I got out. If someone did let me out, who would do that?”

  Molly placed her hands on the grass behind her and leaned back. "That's what I would like to know." She looked up at the swirls of orange, red, and purple in the sky. "It's getting dark, so I'm going to head inside. Are you coming? You still have a few hours before . . ."

  Scarlett shook her head. “No. I’m going to stay out here and think for a little while.”

  Molly squeezed Scarlett’s knee reassuringly before leaving her alone, but she said a sudden motivation to find out who was behind letting Scarlett out. She didn’t want to believe it was Isleen, but she was the most likely suspect. Ms. Bea’s words clung to her: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. She’s just as evil as her mother.

  What had Isleen’s mother done?

  16

  MOLLY

  And then she lay down upon the bed of the Little, Small, and Wee Bear, and that was neither too high at the head nor at the foot, but just right. So she covered herself up comfortably and lay there till she fell asleep.

  Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Robert Southey

  MOLLY DECIDED TO PAY a visit to a place she had never gone before—Oriana's balcony. There was an hour left before Ori and Scarlett would head out to the woods. Molly found Ori's bedroom empty, but the doors that led to her balcony were wide open.

  Molly stepped inside and gasped. Oriana's room was beautiful. Her walls were painted a lovely shade of sky blue. The center of the room was occupied by a bed covered in wispy white material. The room was fairly simple with a few pieces of white furniture here and there, but the most breathtaking part was the ceiling. It was an exact replica of the nighttime sky. Twinkling stars were generously scattered across the navy-blue ceiling. A comet even shot across the sky. It was definitely the creation of Bea's magic.