Flunked: Chapters 13–16

She’s practically catatonic. “What did I do?” she says to herself over and over as Maxine rubs her back worriedly.

“Is FTRS reforming students the way it claims to be?” asked a palace source privy to details inside the attack.

There was a small bouquet from my family and a few other handpicked arrangements, one with squished flowers that I assumed Maxine picked with her less-than-dainty troll hands.

“You’re lucky one didn’t lop your head off!” Natasha said as she changed my bandages one last time

There is an inviting purple velvet armchair near her fireplace, which has a mantel full of self-help books above it, and on the other wall is a vanity table with lots of bottles and beauty products.

“That’s why I brought you here right from recovery. I wanted to be the first to commend you for your selfless act of bravery. We’d be reading a very different type of scroll this week if you had not broken the bewitchment I was under.”

“I see no point in playing guessing games, Miss Cobbler,” she snaps. “Rest assured, Headmistress Flora is working with the staff to figure out who is behind these acts and who could have bewitched someone as powerful as me.”

“Now if you’d just sign these forms.” Harlow slides a long, wordy scroll across the desk to me along with a black-feathered quill. I try to read the words, but they’re too tiny. “Just customary release paperwork, of course, saying you are never again permitted to cross school grounds or converse with students in our care.”

I feel my body stiffen. Ollie’s making a joke, like he always does, but Madame Cleo’s premonition hangs over my head.

I’ve never heard him talk to me like this before. I’m so dumbfounded that I let him walk me straight to a bookcase, and I watch as he feels around for something among the self-help tomes.

Some of my classmates have an insatiable appetite.

Jax plucks a sprig of basil off its vine.

Jax runs a hand through his hair, which is the color of corn. Like the corn I know now he obviously doesn’t sow.

Scaffolding lines a wall where someone is installing extra magical security measures.

“As always, we support Headmistress Flora in her endeavors and are proud of all FTRS has achieved. We would be honored to be the first RSVPs.”