Author's note: Yes, this chapter is months after the last, but I rediscovered my fanfiction account, and found two very nice reviews, and although these people have probably long gone, I've decided to take this story up again. So here goes.

"Is that thing even human?"

"I can't tell. There's too much blood."

"Could be an escaped Never."

"Impossible. How would it get there?"

Carlotta opened her eyes and blinked in a daze. Her back was aching intensely, and the sun was slowly baking the sticky mess on her face. She pulled herself up.

She was sat in a small, enclosed meadow, surrounded by a group of gaping girls. They seemed to be staring at her face in horror.

"What?" she asked, self consciously bringing her hand to her face, and recoiling in disgust. The cut from the gargoyle's talons had left a gushing multitude of blood imprinted now on her fingers. And it stung like nobody's business.

Getting to her shaking feet, she stared at the trembling band of girls. One had fainted to the floor in a graceful arc, spoilt by the fact her eyelid kept twitching open to peek at Carlotta. A redhead bravely stepped forwards and met her gaze.

"What," she asked "are you?"

Carlotta stumbled to the side and regurgitated into the grass. Every single girl jumped back like their feet were on fire, and two more collapsed to the ground. Carlotta looked up at the assembled crowed, and smiled. The rest of the group all fainted to the ground.


The girl's received their uniform in the stair room. Upon arrival, Carlotta had been hastily ushered into the bathroom by a Nymph to have her face scrubbed until all that was left was an open gash. She wasn't a pretty sight.

Each of the girls was also handed a timetable. Carlotta stared at hers.

Carlotta of Isle on Sea

Session Faculty

1: Beautification Prof. Emma Anemone

2: Princess Etiquette - Pollux

3: Animal Communication - Princess Lilly

4: History of Heroism - Prof. August Sader

5: Lunch

6: Good Deeds - Prof Clarissa Dovey

7: Study Time

She stared at the list. Where was English? Or Science? No wonder princesses in fairytales were so useless, if this was all they knew. The Nymph also thrust to her a wad of books bound by a silk ribbon, and carefully arranged in a wicker basket. She flung the basket to the floor in distaste.

"What is this?" she cried, "Where am I? What am I doing here? Please, anyone. Tell me. Does anybody know where we are? Anybody?"

The princesses just turned and hid their gaze. Carlotta stood in the middle of the stair room, arms outstretched in wonder and a look of disbelief on her freckled, gashed face.

"Are you lot brain dead or something? How can you be expected to learn anything with this kind of timetable? Call this a school? I call it an institute for-"

A nymph grabbed Carlotta's mouth and held her jaw down. She silently shook her blue curls, and let go, dropping her hand to her side. Carlotta stared at her.

"Come," the nymph addressed the crowed "We will show you your rooms."


'Welcome, Carlotta, Suzanna, Emily'

The plaque outside Carlotta's room was dusted in pink sparkles, with each name embellished in lilac ink. She sighed, and pushed the door open.

A small, pale girl shrieked and fell off her rose petal bed.

"Told you we'd get her."

Carlotta swivelled round. The redhead who'd spoken to her earlier was preening herself in a massive, jewelled mirror, and staring at Carlotta's reflection, eyes narrowed.

"Don't worry, Suzanna," she said to the blonde girl who was now lying on the floor in shock "I'll protect you. This... witch... doesn't know who she's talking to."

It took a while for Carlotta to realise they were talking about her.

"Witch?" she said "I'm not a witch!"

The redhead, Emily, raised an eyebrow.

"What happened to your face then?" she asked.

"I was attacked by a gargoyle," Carlotta replied, curling her fist "It wasn't my fault!"

"The gargoyles only attack Nevers" piped up Suzanna, peeking from under the bed. Carlotta glared at her, and she shrank back in fright. "Look," Carlotta said, dumping herself on Suzanna's crystal white sheets. "I have no idea where I am. All I know of this place is what I've seen of it. I was taken from my home by a... by a shadow to goodness knows where, meeting goodness knows people, doing goodness knows what and..." she choked back a tear "and now my family will have no idea where I am. My mother... my brother..."

Tears stared falling now, running down her cheeks and slipping at her corners of her mouth. She rubbed her eyes and sniffed. The other girls looked at each other, unsure as to what to do.

"Do you," Suzanna asked, pausing for a moment "Do you want a tissue?" She held out a pale pink, perfectly folded piece of paper, and Carlotta took it gratefully. She blew her nose loudly, and dried her eyes.

"You'll get used to it," Suzanna whispered "I used to get dreadfully homesick visiting my grandma's, but now I don't bat an eyelid. It's difficult at first, but stick with it."

Carlotta nodded at the girl, and sat down on the third, unoccupied bed. She grasped the sheets with both fists and stared out the window. Out in the distance was a gargoyle, soaring over the turrets of the School for Evil. Carlotta suddenly found herself very glad she wasn't over there.