Belinda lifted her arms higher. “I told you I’d get even. Now, it’s payback time.” A wicked glimmer flitted across her eyes. “You want them? No problem!”
Two red twists came slamming down on their wrists like slap bracelets. Red ropes, bright and sparkling, exploded out, snaking through the air as they groped for one another. Sylvie tried to pull her arm back, but the Fire Wands were too fast, twisting and turning until they found one another and fused.
Belinda gave a laugh and slipped back into the crowd, just as Kitty lifted her hands and mouthed,Now ladies! Now!
But they couldn’t toss their Fire Wands. In fact, they couldn’t do much of anything. Sylvie’s right hand and Georgia’s left were now glued together by a bundle of sparkling twigs.
“Welcome to the Thirty-Second Annual Commis Contest,” said Madame Godard, from the stage.
Georgia stared at their wrists. “Well, they do make an interesting set of bangles, but this wasn’t the ending I’d imagined.”
This wasn’t the ending Sylvie had envisioned, either. But if there was a silver lining, it was this. Sylvie had been looking for a sign, and she’d gotten one. It wasn’t quite as big as a billboard, but with her loud belly laugh, it had been sizeable. Every ounce of guilt and doubt Sylvie had been feeling vanished.
Kitty bustled through the crowd, pushing her way toward them. “What happened?”
Sylvie raised her arm and Georgia’s too. “Belinda Bass is what happened!”
Five minutes later, Sylvie and Georgia were sitting on the sidelines, while Kitty had a word with Belinda. Sylvie stared at the two of them speaking just a stone’s throw away.
A smirk spread across Belinda’s face as Kitty turned and moved back toward Sylvie.
“Well, unfortunately, she claims the whole thing was an accident,” said Kitty.
“Accident?” Sylvie slouched. “You can’t possibly believe that.”
Kitty shook her head. “I’d say it’s about as likely as a pythonaccidentallyswallowing a mouse… . Unfortunately, it doesn’t matter what I believe. You have no proof.”
“What about one of your pies?” said Georgia. “Couldn’t you get it to spell out what really happened?”
“Pull Belinda out of the Commis Contest to try and pin this unfortunate, butminor,predicament on her? Her father is already furious about Godard’s rule change. It isn’t wise to poke an angry bear.” Kitty sighed. “I’m sorry, girls. But you’re just going to have to wait this out. The Fire Wands will dissolve in a few hours. Then—”
“A few hours?” Sylvie sat up straight. “You mean, we’re stuck like this?”
Kitty waved a hand dismissively. “Three … four hours at the most. It’s best to let these things dissolve naturally.”
Sylvie blinked.Three or four hours?She didn’t have that kind of time to spare. By then, the contest would be over, and her chance to make the Devils on Horseback recipe would be lost.
“Well, so much for me trying to make a fashion statement tonight.” Georgia cast a sidelong glance at Sylvie’s outfit. “No offense, but it’s like having a pair of old pajamas glued to me. In the future, I really think we’re going to have to coordinate outfits when we’re partnered together.”
“Sure,” said Sylvie, not really listening.
Life had just thrown her a lemon, but she was determined to make lemonade. Sylvie turned to Georgia. She knew what she had to do next.
Kismet! Is That a Candy Bar, or a Plan?
SYLVIE ANDGEORGIA WERE NOW STANDING OUTSIDE THEdeserted cafeteria.
“What are we doing here?” asked Georgia.
“I’m letting you in on my plan.” Sylvie swung her backpack off her shoulder. Thanks to the Fire Wands, she couldn’t take it off, but at least she could access the contents. Sylvie stuffed her free hand deep inside. The spine of a book grazed her fingers. She pulled it out.
Georgia stared at it. “Forbidden Recipes and Peculiar Spells.Where did you get that?”
“Agnes, the kitchen lady. She hates Bass and his policies too. There’s a recipe in it that can break down the obstacles Bass has standing in my way.” Sylvie flipped it open.
Georgia’s gaze narrowed. “Devils on Horseback?”
Sylvie nodded. “Almost everything I need to make it is waiting in the cafeteria’s kitchen, but there was one ingredient Agnes couldn’t get … the woad.”
