A Crystal of Time (The School for Good and Evil The Camelot Years #2) - Soman Chainani Page 0,104

.”

“Never again,” Agatha whispered. “Never again will we be apart. Swear to me.”

“I swear,” Sophie said back.

They held each other closer, welling tears at the same time.

Sophie pulled away. “And Dovey?”

Agatha shook her head. A sob choked out of her.

Sophie’s face lost its blood. “To let you get away.”

Agatha nodded.

Her friend wiped her eyes with her ruffly white dress. “I knew. She was the only one who could have cast that spell. And when you three didn’t show up in the Woods, I knew she’d stayed to help you . . . that she’d do what she had to for you to be free. That’s why I came back . . . to find you . . . to find her. . . .” She looked at the bag on Agatha’s arm. “That crystal must have weakened her more than we thought. She was dying and I think she knew.” Sophie sniffled, tears lit pink by her glow. “She used every last drop of her life to save us.”

“Dovey told me where Merlin is,” Agatha said, composing herself. “But there’s no way to get there. At least not yet. We need to find the others and search for a new hideout. Somewhere we can plot our next move. Last I saw, Robin was pulling you into the Woods. Where is he? Where are Robin and Guinevere and—”

But now Sophie was watching Tedros. The prince hadn’t moved from the base of the hill, his arms folded over his bare chest.

“Hello, Teddy,” said Sophie. “Strange saying that when just a moment ago I was you.”

Tedros’ eyes flashed like cut gems. “Now you come crawling back? After everything you said about me to that monster? That I’m a rot at Camelot’s core? That I should die?”

Sophie’s lips pressed into a line. “I’m here, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, but whose side are you on?” Tedros spewed back.

Agatha turned on her prince. “Sophie pretended to be on Rhian’s side. She said what she had to so he wouldn’t suspect anything—”

“Don’t bother, Aggie,” Sophie said starkly. “A Dean is dead, his Dean, and he’s thinking about himself as usual. And they say I’m Evil. I dove into that battle to save him. I stayed behind after the jailbreak to save him. I endured two monsters to save him, one of whom sucked my blood, and here he is, questioning my loyalty.”

“You don’t think I mourn for Dovey? You don’t think I feel responsible? Don’t you dare make this about her!” Tedros retorted. “This is about the fact that no matter how Good you play, I still don’t trust you, not with the things you said about me and not when you had a chance to free me from the dungeons and you freed Hort instead!”

“Freeing you would have led to you dying even faster than you almost did, you rock-brained oaf!” Sophie hissed.

Tedros looked confused. He stood up straighter.

“Then tell me it was all a lie,” he insisted. “Everything you said about me to Rhian.”

Sophie gazed at him keenly . . . then walked away. “I don’t even remember what I said, to be honest. I was too focused on keeping you and your princess alive. But if you’re this touchy, then there must have been a kernel of truth in it. Hurry, Aggie, before Rhian’s men hear this buffoon shouting and come and kill us all. We still have miles to go and they’re waiting for us.”

“They?” Agatha asked. “Who’s they?”

Sophie didn’t answer.

Agatha hurried after her, leaving Tedros by the hill, still scowling.

She knew she should wait for him, that she should be the peacemaker between her friend and prince like always, but Agatha was already latching onto Sophie’s arm, the two of them whispering and cuddling as if they’d never been apart. Sophie brushed the hair out of her best friend’s face and smiled brilliantly at her, two girls forging through a dark wood.

It wasn’t long before they heard Tedros’ footsteps behind them.

“WHERE ARE WE going?” Agatha badgered.

“The only place in the Woods where we can be safe,” Sophie replied, her voice low. “I need you to tell me everything that happened after you escaped.”

Agatha thought they might be headed for the old League of Thirteen hideout, just like Professor Dovey urged, but then she remembered the League had disbanded and their den was nowhere near Camelot. Dovey had just wanted her and Tedros to get as far away as possible before the spell broke.

“Is your safe place the school?” Agatha nudged. “Because that’s the first