The rest of the staircase shuddered to life.
Snaps and snarls reverberated, shaking the ground beneath her. Sylvie quickly hopped down. She’d been afraid of this …they’ve added extra security measures.After everything she’d heard today, this was no surprise.Time for Plan B.
Whoosh!
Something flew past her head. Sylvie whipped around. Crimson pods with shriveled skin floated overhead.Ghost peppers!
Sylvie flung an arm over her nose. Thanks to Flora’s conversation with Adara, she knew how to handle the ghost peppers. She yanked the allium goggles out of her pocket and slid them on.
Pop!
A fiery burst erupted. Heat blasted Sylvie’s face. She gasped and sputtered. Her eyes were fine, but her nose and throat were burning.
Sylvie blotted her face. She had to get out of here, fast.Peppers only patrol the garden….So, best way to escape is into the school.
Sylvie eyed the steps, lining the path to the door, teeth bared like hungry piranhas. It wouldn’t be easy to cross them. Then again, she hadn’t come this far to turn tail and run. Besides, the spice clouds were causing the staircase some discomfort too.
Gravelly coughs interrupted growls. Wheezing punctuated snarls.
An ollie!It was a jumping technique skaters used to leap into the air and over obstacles. Of course, obstacles didn’t normally have an appetite to kill. Still, this was her best chance.
More peppers raced toward Sylvie, erupting in spicy bursts. It was now or never. She had to get the note. Sylvie crouched down, putting most of her weight on the ball of her back foot.
Whoosh!
She leapt up, pulling her knees toward her chest.
Sylvie landed on a snapping stone. It flinched in surprise. She tossed her final peppermint at it and charged up. Rock slapped against the soles of her feet as she pounded toward the doors.
One. Two. Three.
Sylvie leapt up.
Only a few more steps.
Spicy fumes whipped through the air. Sylvie fought against the tickle rising in her throat. Her goggles fogged from the heat. She tried to wipe them, but everything was happening too fast.
Whack!
Pain surged up her shin as she collided with the final step. Warm blood trickled down her leg. The final step’s jaws opened wide.
“Sorry. But I’m not ready to be a chew toy.” Sylvie scrambled up, the tip of her shoe pressed against the stone’s lips. Its mouth snapped shut. Sylvie didn’t bother contemplating why. She tucked her head and somersaulted over it, landing near the doors.
Silence wrapped around Sylvie as she stepped into the school. The door clicked shut behind her. Even the pain of her bleeding leg couldn’t spoil her mood.I made it!
Sylvie pulled off the goggles and tapped the face of her watch again. The ghostly image of August Strange was still floating across the wanted posters on the hallway scrolls. The chocolate birds in the cage opened their eyes.
Squawk!
“Shh! I’ve got a treat for you too.” Sylvie yanked the roll from dinner out of her pocket and shoved pieces into the cage. The two birds fluttered down and quietly pecked.
Except for the gash on her leg, everything was going according to plan.
Sylvie stepped carefully over the leaves scattered next to the blown sugar tree and headed down the hallway. A rustling from inside one of the classrooms made her freeze.Someone’s here.
Sylvie crouched down low, heart thumping. If they stepped out and found her, she was doomed. Carefully, she crawled on all fours past the classroom door, then paused. Cupboards and drawers were opening and closing.
Someone is searching for something. What if it’s the spy?Part of Sylvie wanted to push on, get to the book. But she couldn’t.Not until I know who’s in there and why.
