Flora pulled out her Blade and cut her loose. “Told ya! Only a magical knife works.”
Sylvie carefully stepped over a tangled mass of rosebuds and stepped into Jasper Rose’s skybox.
The kitchen was like a hastily abandoned ghost town.
A pot of syrup bubbled on the stove. Pastry bags filled with meringue were still waiting to be piped. Sylvie moved a large bottle of FizzleFott’s soda off the worktable and pulled out the cookbook. “According to this recipe, once the rose meringues are piped, the magic will instantly harden them.”
Flora nodded. “You can’t waste hours at the Golden Whisk baking meringue.”
Sylvie picked up one of the pastry bags and tried to steady her hands, but she was shaking. “What if I can’t make a perfect rosette?”
“Then you probably won’t manage to get a rose vine … and there goes the plan,” said Georgia.
“Great. Very reassuring,” said Sylvie.
“Try not to think about the spell,” suggested Flora.
“Just pretend this is a bake-off challenge in Boris’s class,” added Georgia.
“Yeah, but this isn’t a cooking contest. It’s life and death.” Sylvie took a deep breath. She reminded herself of the steps for piping rosettes.Angle the tip down. Squeeze around. Release. Flick your wrist.Her hands steadied. Sylvie piped a row, then, another, reciting the words in the book.“Flora Scala!”
A shimmer settled over the blushing meringues.
“You did it!” Flora lined another sheet pan with parchment.
“Now the real work begins,” said Sylvie. “Georgia has to build me a bridge connecting this skybox to Zotter’s.”
Georgia nestled one of the meringues into her slingshot. “No problem.”
Flora gave Sylvie a nod. “You two go ahead. I’ll continue piping and keep a lookout.”
Sylvie moved toward the opening at the back of the skybox, where every competitor released their showpiece. She poked her head out.
From here, the gilded stadium looked like bits of honeycomb. She thought she spotted the man with theGOUSA banner. Though it was impossible to be sure. All the spectators looked like they’d shrunk down to the size of ants. Sylvie felt her stomach flip-flop.If something goes wrong, it’s a long way down.
Georgia squeezed in next to her and peered out. “You sure about this?”
Josephine’s words floated back.Sometimes we must make sacrifices to get what we want.So, what was she willing to sacrifice? The answer was clear. Her shot at a Blade. Her chance to go to Brindille.Everything.Sylvie stood tall. “This is the only way I can sneak into Zotter’s kitchen. It’s the best way to stop Josephine … so, yeah. I’m sure.”
Georgia didn’t say anything else. She closed one eye and aimed the slingshot.
Sylvie held her breath as the disk of meringue flew through the air.
A moment later, roses trellised up the back of Zotter’s skybox.
“You did it!” cried Sylvie.
“I told you I’m good at making daisy chains.” Georgia sent another disk flying.
Sylvie watched as the new vine hooked itself onto the old one, creating a thorny rope.
Their plan was working.
That’s One Way to Make an Exit
“YOU KEEP BUILDING THAT BRIDGE, I’LL GRABFLORA,” SAIDSylvie.
Georgia nodded.
