Free Villain School by Stephanie S. Sanders

asked the princess. I thought I detected a slight note of jealousy. Yeah. The villainesses all loved me.
    â€œIn the hall right before class. She looked kind of anxious. Morgana told me she was looking for Jez. I’m sure she must know something about all this. Why was I such a jerk?”
    There was a tiny
pop
and Jezebel materialized from the shadows.
    â€œI was just waiting for you to admit it, Rune Drexler,” she said with a smile.

Chapter Eight
Traitors
    â€œSo, let me get this straight,” I said to Jezebel. “Master Dreadthorn called you to his office that day to tell you he was sending you to Morgana’s school as a spy?”
    â€œYes,” said Jez. “He suspected she was hatching an evil plan. Apparently he’d seen something in his crystal ball to make him suspicious. Anyway, since I’m such an excellent student, he chose me.”
    Behind Jezebel, Ileana was rolling her eyes.
    â€œOr maybe because you can turn into a bat,” Wolf offered. Jez ignored him.
    â€œI spent a lot of time spying. It was easy to conceal myself. I learned that a superhero had been sent to overthrow Morgana and her school, but he had failed. That was common enough knowledge, but what many people didn’t know was that the superhero had made a deal with Morgana.”
    â€œHow did you find that out?” asked Wolf.
    â€œI was hanging from a rafter outside Morgana’s study door when a visitor arrived. It was late in the day, and most of the students were still asleep. The visitor was hooded and cloaked and escorted by one of Morgana’s headsmen. The door opened, and he was let in. I stealthily flew in behind him, keeping to the shadows and concealing myself high on a bookshelf …”
    â€œDo you have it?” Morgana asked.
    â€œNot yet,” the visitor said.
    â€œDeven, Deven,” Morgana said. “We made a deal, remember? When your miserable attempt to overthrow me failed, I showed you mercy. Now, you give me the crystal ball, and I give you Dreadthorn. I need it to take over Master Dreadthorn’s school.”
    â€œI’m just as eager as you are, my lady,” he said. “Once I have the villain Master as my prisoner, I know my father will welcome me back into the hero community with open arms!”
    â€œSo it
was
Dodge!” I said, interrupting Jez’s story. “He kidnapped the Dread Master!”
    â€œHold on,” Wolf said. “Does that mean Dodge gave Morgana the crystal ball?”
    â€œI didn’t see it when she called me to Dad’s study,” I said.
    â€œAnd how was Dodge able to subdue a Master villain as powerful as Dreadthorn?” asked Ileana.
    â€œKeep your crown on,” said Jezebel. “I was getting to that. So, all this happened a few days ago. I sent a report to the Dread Master, but then just yesterday, Dodge, or Deven, or whatever his name is, returned. Again, I spied on the conversation …”
    â€œWell?” Morgana asked.
    â€œI have the crystal,” said Dodge. “And more importantly, I’ve used its power and the potion you gave me to capture Master Dreadthorn!”
    â€œGive it to me!” Morgana’s eyes filled with greed.
    â€œIt’s a powerful tool,” he answered.
    â€œGive it to me now!” Morgana held out her hands.
    â€œYou know,” said Dodge. “Capturing a Master villain might convince my father to accept me back into Hero School, but if I had this, too …”
    Dodge pulled out the crystal ball from beneath his cloak and tossed it casually from one hand to the other. Morgana was getting ready to hex him, but Dodge started laughing, and before Morgana could attack, he flew out the door.
    â€œDid you hear what I said? Flew!” Jez gestured wildly with her arms.
    â€œWell, that explains how he traveled so quickly between here and Morgana’s school,” I said.
    â€œThis is all my fault!” said Ileana,