Villain School by Stephanie S. Sanders Page A

Wolf whispered.
    â€œNow you explain what you’re doing in my room,” a new voice said.

Chapter Six
Vanishing Villains
    There was a sound of a match striking. I blinked at the brightness, and when my vision cleared I saw Princess Ileana staring at us, candle in hand.
    â€œIs this part of the test, too?” I asked, thinking of the projection of my dad.
    I reached out my fingers to see if Ileana was real, and she smacked my hand away.
    â€œOw! Guess not.”
    â€œHow did you even get past the guardians?” Ileana asked.
    I just stood staring stupidly for a second, then I remembered the vial of blood. I quickly tucked it into my cloak pocket.
    â€œA villain never reveals his secrets,” I said.
    â€œThat’s a magician, numbskull,” Ileana snapped, but she was smiling.
    â€œOh.”
    â€œSo, what
are
you doing here?” she asked.
    â€œRune needed a little cheering up,” Dodge said. “He’s upset about the vampire girl being transferred.”
    â€œWhat!” I said. “I’m not upset about that. I was just surprised she didn’t even
tell
me.”
    Talk about pouring salt in a wound. I thought this trip was supposed to help me
forget
about my girl troubles.
    â€œIt’s okay, Rune,” Ileana said. “I’m sure we all will, um,
miss
Jezebel.”
    â€œSincere. Very sincere,” Wolf said.
    â€œWell, I didn’t know her that well, but …”
    I didn’t hear what Ileana said next, though, because I was concentrating on Dodge. He was taking advantage of Ileana’s distraction. I noticed him casually moving behind her and rifling through her things—her bedside table, books on her shelves. He noticed me noticing, raised his finger to his lips, and motioned for me to keep talking.
    â€œRune? Are you even listening?” Ileana asked.
    â€œOf course I am,” I said. “Uh, so, what do you think I should do?”
    â€œDo?”
    â€œAbout Jez. You know. You’re a girl. Should I, uh, send her a gift or something?” I glanced at Dodge.Again, he signaled for me to keep talking as he knelt next to Ileana’s bed and looked beneath it.
    â€œYou’ll have to do better than a gift. If you want to get a girl’s attention, you need to let her know you care about her interests. What is Jez interested in? Besides biting things and looking down her nose at everybody?”
    â€œUh, I don’t know. Uh—”
    But I was saved, because just then Dodge rejoined us.
    â€œWell, thanks, Ileana. I’ll try that. You’ve been a big help,” I said.
    â€œBut we didn’t even—”
    â€œTalk tomorrow. Gotta get back to bed. Good night!” I said, pulling the others to the door and leaving a very confused and slightly annoyed princess behind.
    When we returned to the hallway, I heard the faint buzzing sound of the barrier as it was reactivated.
    â€œWhat was that all about?” I asked Dodge.
    â€œMaster Stiltskin,” he said.
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œHello, boys,” a voice said.
    I turned to see the bent, wrinkled form of Master Stiltskin standing a few feet away from us. He was wearing some kind of old-fashioned nightgown and one of those weird nightcaps on his head. His beard trailed down almost to his feet, which were covered withfuzzy slippers. He looked like he’d just fallen out of a Mother Goose rhyme.
    â€œWhat are you three doing here at this hour?” he wheezed.
    â€œUm. Sleepwalking?” I said.
    I expected us to get in some serious trouble, but Stiltskin just chuckled.
    â€œNot to worry, Rune. Believe it or not, I was once a young villain, eager to prove myself to the villainesses.”
    â€œWhat? No, that’s not what—”
    â€œNow, no need for alarm. I won’t tell your father,” Stiltskin said with a wink. “But you should be careful, boys. Not every Master at this school would let you get away with