“Good.” Agnes stood up. “Oh! One more thing. You’ll be parading with the first-year students, which means you’ll be placed in thefirststorage cellar. Luckily, that’s where you’ll find the woad. Ingredients are kept in alphabetical order on the shelves.”
Sylvie dusted an invisible layer of dirt off her hands. Guilt had a way of making her feel grimy. What she was doing was wrong. But the CCS really hadn’t left her any other options. Besides, sometimes good things came out of bad actions.Even burnt toast can be turned into a delicious bread sauce.
The icky feeling digging underneath Sylvie’s skin started to evaporate.Yes.That’s all she was doing: turning something terrible into something good.
Cattywampus! This Is Bad
THAT NIGHT, SYLVIE COULDN’T SLEEP. SHE ROLLED TO THE LEFTand tossed to the right. She wasn’t sure if it was nerves or because of the gardening she’d done before dinner. She and the other Pips had helped Gideon harvest mugworts and chocolate vines. Unfortunately, the chocolate vines oozed a syrup that packed a serious dose of sugar. Now, Sylvie felt like she’d downed a dozen sodas.
She readjusted her pillow.
Georgia threw off her covers. “All right, what’s going on? It’s impossible to sleep with you rolling around over there like a dog with fleas.”
“Sorry,” said Sylvie, still trying to get comfortable. She flopped over, arms splayed out. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
Georgia nodded. “Tomorrow’s a big day.”
Bigger than you realize,thought Sylvie. She’d decided not to tell Georgia about the forbidden recipe. Yes, they were friends now. But she didn’t want to get Georgia in trouble. If Sylvie got caught, and Georgia knew her plan, Godard would string them both up like plucked chickens.
“I’m sorry about Belinda Bass giving you a hard time today,” said Georgia suddenly. “That girl has got the charm of a mule with a thorn stuck in its backside… . My first day at Brindille, she shoved my head into one of the soda fountains.”
Sylvie rolled over. “So that’s what she meant about the bath… . Did you tell Godard?”
Georgia snorted. “Making an official complaint against Belinda Bass probably won’t help me score a scholarship.”
Sylvie sighed. “Unfortunately, you’re right.”
Georgia sat up and faced Sylvie. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad it’ll be you and me tomorrow… . Two outcasts showing the school winning isn’t about where you come from. It’s about what’s inside.”
Sylvie nodded. “I’m glad too. You’re all right, Georgia Shaw.”
The next day, Sylvie stood outside the Pip dorms, waiting for Georgia after lunch. She suspected Georgia wanted to go back to the room to change her outfit for the Commis Contest.
Normally, Sylvie would’ve found the wardrobe change to be a waste of time, but today she didn’t mind. In less than an hour, she’d hopefully have the magical ingredient she needed to complete the Devils on Horseback recipe. As if that wasn’t reason enough to celebrate, the win in the macaron bake-off meant they wouldn’t have to spend the afternoon in class with Darius. Though, Sylvie was sorry to miss today’s lecture. Boris was covering the best ways to cut alligator pears and how to scoop the flesh out of horned melons without getting stabbed.
“Ready?” Georgia swooshed out the door wearing a pink pastel sweater set, narrow pinstriped pants, and a pair of black ballet flats.
“Um, yeah.” Sylvie tried tucking in her shirt. She slung her backpack over her shoulders. “Let’s go.”
It didn’t take them long to cross the garden.
Flora waved to them from the foot of the school steps. “Welcome, bake-off winners.”
As usual, her chef’s coat was perfectly pressed, and not a hair was out of place. “Storage cellars are around the back.” Flora dug several chocolate peppermints out and tossed them on the stairs. “Follow me.”
Excitement tickled Sylvie’s insides as they climbed toward the school. This was it, her chance to reclaim what the CCS was trying to take from her. Sylvie slipped her hand into the pocket of her jacket.
Plastic bag is there.
Once they got into the storage cellars, Sylvie would find the woad and wait for the right moment. Everyone was so excited about the contest. They’d probably be too distracted to notice her slipping something into her pocket.
“You know, a few days ago, I wouldn’t have believed you two could spend an afternoon cooking together, much less win,” said Flora, snapping Sylvie from her thoughts. “You should be proud.”
“Yeah.” Georgia ran a hand through her hair. “We’re kind of like bananas and peanut butter… . Not the pairing you’d expect, but a killer combo nonetheless.”
Sylvie laughed. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”
They wound their way along the path past the main entrance. Flora stopped in front of a stone archway. “After you two.”
