The Third Reader - The School for Good and Evil

10) The Trial By Tale

Evelynn stared at the forest, shining sapphire in the dappled sunlight.

The trial by tale was about to begin, and she was not happy about it. She'd already been through enough, and the School Master's lovely words had dropped her mood to a whole other level. He'd told her she'd never get home, he'd told her there was no point going after her prince and he'd told her she was 50% evil.

Strangely the third one was the one she had focused on the least, mainly in denial. Evelynn had thought she wouldn't get chosen because she wasn't good or bad, when she was taken to the school she thought she was wrong about herself and that her soul was truly good.

To hear that she wasn't good hurt after she began to believe she was.

And Pollux had said at the beginning of the year that your soul has to be good or bad, you can't be both. So why had the school master claimed him incorrect when he was probably the person that told the teachers to say that?

How could she be both?

She stood outside the forest border, students clustered around her in special suits more fitting than the school uniform for an event like this. Even the nevers looked better than usual.

Despite the many people surrounding her, Evelynn felt terribly alone, she was scared of what would happen in the woods, and she had no allies because everyone hated her. Agatha was the only one that had warmed up to her again, and Agatha would be with Sophie, Evelynn didn't want to be with Sophie, because Tedros would be with Sophie, and Evelynn couldn't deal with Tedros and Sophie.

"You alright there?" An obviously forced deep voice made Evelynn look up, Chaddick.

"What do you want? Come to mock me again for my 'anger issues'?"

"You really aren't like the other girls are you?"

Evelynn scoffed satirically, "Hello? Agatha and Sophie? I am like other girls, just not girls from this hell hole."

Chaddick flashed an annoying grin, he was similar to Tedros, but worse. "I trust you're not as crazy as those two?"

Evelynn scrutinised his face with a scowl on her own. "Chaddick, what do you want?"

"You're lacking on...support at the moment aren't you?"

"Nice way of pointing out I don't have any friends." Evelynn uttered.

"Yes." Chaddick's eyes lit up. "I was wondering if you want to work together in the trial by tale, cause I know you won't have any secret alliances and won't leave me for dead."

"People...aren't actually going to die right?"

"No, it's a metaphor." Chaddick chuckled weirdly.

Evelynn glared. "I'm sorry I don't know what to expect in this insane, magical, evil school!"

"So? Do you want to work together?"

"Uhhh."

Evelynn considered her options, would it even be better to work with Chaddick if she had to put up with how annoying he was? And was it worth it if the girls hated her even more because Chaddick was the second 'dream boy' of the school after Tedros? She guessed the two were only best friends because of popularity and looks.

"Lynn? You look distracted."

"Uhhh."

Evelynn spotted Tedros and Sophie not far from her and Chaddick, holding hands and right up close, Sophie smiled brightly at Tedros, while he had his back to Evelynn.