Read Online The School for Good and Evil #2: A World without Princes by Soman Chainani - Free Book Online Page B

gown. “Did anyone see you?”
    â€œNo,” said Professor Dovey.
    Lady Lesso spun to Sophie and Agatha, violet eyes flashing.
    â€œThen it’s time they learned what they’ve done.”
    â€œ We did this?” Agatha blurted.
    â€œBut we weren’t even here!” said Sophie, turning between the Dean of Evil at the window and the Dean of Good at Professor Sader’s old desk, overflowing with open books.
    Lady Lesso glowered at their dirt-smudged faces. “In this world, actions have consequences. Endings have consequences.”
    â€œBut our fairy tale ended happily!” Sophie said.
    Professor Dovey let out a groan.
    â€œWhy don’t you tell us how it ended?” Lady Lesso sneered, blue veins throbbing.
    â€œWe killed the School Master and solved his riddle!” Sophie said.
    â€œThat’s how Sophie and I went home!” said Agatha.
    â€œClarissa, show them how it really ends,” Lady Lesso growled.
    Professor Dovey flung a book across the desk. It was heavy and thick, bound with brown sheepskin and spattered with mud. Agatha opened to the first soggy page. Black calligraphy, slightly smeared, spilled across fresh parchment.
    The Tale of Sophie & Agatha
    Sophie turned the page to a richly colored painting of her and Agatha, standing before the School Master.
    Once upon a time , the script below read, there were twogirls.
    Agatha remembered the line. The Storian had written it to start their fairy tale when they broke into the School Master’s tower. Flipping the book’s pages, Agatha saw her and Sophie’s story unfold in a brilliant sweep of paintings: Sophie trying to win Tedros’ kiss . . . Agatha saving Tedros’ life in a brutal attack . . . Agatha and Tedros falling in love . . . Sophie transforming into a vengeful witch . . . the School Master stabbing Sophie . . . Agatha reviving her with love’s kiss . . . and then the very last page . . . a dazzling vision of Tedros desperately reaching for Agatha as she and Sophie disappeared, three words beneath to close their story. . . .
    They were gone .
    Agatha felt tears rise, soaking in all the pain and love she and Sophie had shared to get home.
    â€œIt’s the perfect fairy tale,” Sophie said, meeting Agatha’s eyes with a choked-up smile.
    They turned to the teachers, who looked deathly grim. “It’s not over,” said Lady Lesso.
    The girls peered down at the book, confused. Their grimy hands lifted the last page, and they saw there was something on the other side.
    A painting of Tedros, back turned, walking into dark fog, all alone.
    And Sophie and Agatha lived happy ever after, for girls don’t need princes for love to call. . . .
    No, they don’t need princes in their fairy tales at all.
    â€œThis one’s from Maidenvale. But you can find it anywhere, really. They’re even telling it in Netherwood.”
    Sophie and Agatha raised their heads to Professor Dovey, frowning over the messy desk.
    â€œIt’s the only story anyone wants to hear.”
    Now the girls saw that all the open books weren’t there by accident. Each book on the desk was spread to its last page. Some were in oil paints, some in watercolor, some in charcoal and ink; some were in a language the girls knew, others in scripts they didn’t. But all ended their version of The Tale of Sophie and Agatha the same way: Tedros alone and unneeded, slumping into darkness.
    â€œGoodness, all this gloom because we’re popular ?” Sophie said. “You can’t be surprised. Snow White and Cinderella are sweet and all. But who wants them when they can have me ?”
    She turned to Agatha for support, but her friend was staring out the window. “Aggie?”
    Agatha didn’t answer. Slowly she approached the window, and Lady Lesso stepped aside without a word. At Sader’s desk, Professor Dovey held