Chapter 2

Ever Realm Academy was a large stately building with several wings for students of different ages, much like Royal Prep. The school was surrounded by a forest. During any other season the place would be green and bustling with life, but since it was winter, it was bleak and still.

The Enchancian coach landed on the cobblestones in front of the school behind a few others, and the coachman jumped down to help the girls out. Because of the cold weather, there weren't too many kids outside. A group of boys were having a snowball fight a short distance from the front steps. A couple of teenage sweethearts were talking quietly near the building. Amber pulled Sofia up the steps and through the front doors just as another coach landed behind theirs.

Inside, the front lobby was full of students. Ever Realm Academy was a school for future rulers and advisers. Children of nobility and very wealthy families were also allowed to attend the school. The student body was a mixture of princes, princesses, lords, ladies, and kids who didn't have titles at all. Since it was the first day of school after the holiday break, kids were gathered in groups happily exchanging stories with friends.

As the Enchancian sisters walked in, one of the older girls looked toward them. She excused herself from her friends and walked over to them, smiling brightly. She was very pretty with curly black hair that fell down her back and sparkling hazel eyes. Her dress was magenta with off the shoulder sleeves and a white collar.

"Amber! Sofia!" the girl said warmly. "You both look lovely."

"Thanks, Astrid," Amber beamed. "You look very nice too."

"How was your Wassailia?" Sofia asked.

"It was wonderful. Look what Dad gave me." Astrid smiled happily as she held out her wrist, displaying a bracelet with silver snowflake and Nettledrop charms. Astrid was the heir to the throne of Friezenburg, and she was in her final year at the academy. She didn't have any classes with Amber or Sofia, but she was always friendly toward her younger sister's friends when they met in the hall.

"Oh, it's so beautiful!" Amber gushed, reaching out to touch the shiny charms.

Astrid turned when one of her friends called to her. "I'll see you two later. Have a nice day." She waved as she walked back to her group of friends.

Amber and Sofia walked to a room just off the lobby. This room was known as the Girls' Coat Room. It was a room where girls could leave their outdoor ensembles and other things they didn't need to carry around all day. There were several mirrors so girls could fix up their appearances before classes began. Some other girls were standing at the mirrors combing their hair, putting on makeup, or just talking.

Amber and Sofia removed their cloaks and hung them on hooks. Then Amber stepped over to one of the mirrors and started adjusting her tiara and examining her dress. Sofia rolled her eyes but waited patiently. She only needed to glance at her reflection to know that she looked fine.

One of the other girls had just finished combing her hair and was about to leave the room when Amber caught sight of her in the mirror. Turning, the blonde smiled. "Delia!"

Delia paused and turned toward the sound of her name. When she saw the Enchancian princesses, she plastered a warm smile on her face and walked toward them. Princess Delia was tall and slender with wavy light red hair that flowed down her back in a silky cascade. Her eyes were as green as emeralds. She was wearing a ruby red dress with lace embroidery on the skirt. Her hair was held back from her face with a diamond clip. She wore diamond earrings, and a diamond pendent hung from a gold chain around her neck. Sofia supposed she was pretty, but there was a sneer that seemed to be permanently etched on her face.

"Hello, girls," Delia said as soon as she reached them. She eyed their dresses critically. "Amber, that dress is so last year. And, Sofia…" She wrinkled her nose at the younger girl's simple dress. "Don't you have anything… better… to wear? You look like the peasant you once were."

Amber gasped. Okay, maybe she had been mean to Sofia in the beginning, but she was pretty sure she had never said anything that horrible. She frowned at the red haired girl. "Delia–"

"It's okay, Amber," Sofia said, grabbing her sister's arm. She was a little hurt by Delia's words, but she had gotten used to it by now. Turning to the snobbish princess, she offered her a bright smile. "Your dress is lovely, Delia. Your seamstress must work hard." Before anything else could be said, she grasped Amber's arm tighter and dragged her out of the coat room.

The crowd in the lobby had begun to disperse as kids headed to their first classes. Amber pulled her arm away from Sofia and stomped her foot. She pulled her fan out of a pocket in her dress. "I can't believe she said that to you, Sofia. Ooh, I'd like to give that snob a piece of my mind."

The auburn haired girl couldn't help but smirk. Her sister just now realized exactly how mean Delia could be. Amber was waving her fan in the air, apparently trying to find the best way to elegantly smack someone upside the head, but Sofia wasn't paying attention. Instead, she was watching a man come from a back hallway pushing a girl in a wheelchair. They were heading for the headmistress's office.

"Looks like there's a new girl," Sofia said excitedly.

"What?" Amber stopped waving her fan and looked in the direction her sister was indicating. "Oh, wow! She's interesting."

"Oh, great," a cold voice said from behind them. The Enchancian princesses both turned to glare at Delia, who had walked up behind them. "Why do we need one of them here? Those kids are utterly helpless. And they drool on everything. I bet she can't even talk clearly."

"What are you going on about now, Delia?" a second voice asked. The three princesses turned to see a boy standing near by. He was tall and handsome with brown hair and warm brown eyes. His hair was styled almost the same way as James wore his, only a little longer. He wore a navy blue jacket over a white shirt and dark green vest. His pants and boots were black.

Delia gave the boy a pointed look. "That's Princess Delia to you, Lord Darrin."

Darrin just smirked. He came from a long line of Royal Advisers, and he was currently studying to take his father's place when the man retired. "Oh, really? There are no rules that say we have to use titles. Besides, you don't act like a princess. You act like a brat."

Delia's face turned red with anger, almost matching the color of her hair. "Humph!" She turned and marched away down a hallway.

Darrin then turned to the other two princesses and offered them a dazzling smile. "Amber, Sofia, you both look lovely today." He bowed playfully before heading in the direction Delia had taken.

"Thanks, Darrin," Sofia called cheerfully. "Come on, Amber. Let's get to class." Not hearing a response, she turned to look at her sister. Amber was just standing there staring after the departing boy. A delicate blush had crept over her face. "Um, Amber, are you okay?"

"He said I was lovely," the blonde swooned.

Sofia rolled her eyes humorously. "He said we were both lovely." Just then, the bell rang, signaling that it was time to head to their first class. Sofia took Amber's hand and pulled her down the hall after Darrin and Delia.