I wanted to ask how, but I also wasn't dumb enough to stop this when it was all working out in my favor. Instead, I slungshadows at the woman, forming shackles that wrapped around both of her wrists, negating any magic she might consider using.
"What did you do, Pearl?" Ms. Rhodes asked.
"Tell these children to let me go!" Ms. Hawthorne demanded. "I don't know what they're doing."
But I stepped forward. "I broke Camila's vow of silence. She told us about you."
"She's a foolish girl who has no clue what she's talking about," Ms. Hawthorne shot back.
But I'd been around the fae long enough to see through their truths. Yes, Camila was foolish. Yes, she was a girl. Likely she didn't know anything but what she'd been told, and I had a feeling that had been selected as carefully as Ms. Hawthorne had picked those words.
"Do not - " I tried, but Ms. Rhodes lifted a hand, begging me to wait, so I did.
"Pearl," Ms. Rhodes said gently, "I'm going to ask you simple questions. Answer yes or no only."
"Ivy..." Ms. Hawthorne tried, shifting her arms like she wanted to pull against the sentinels holding her, but aware she couldn't.
"Are you tied to the attacks that have been happening at the school in any way?"
"I'm at this school, so yes!" Ms. Hawthrone shot back.
"Yes or no," Ms. Rhodes reminded her. "Pearl, have you encouraged students to engage in violence?"
"Ask the Prince," Ms. Hawthorne said. "He'll tell you I've been respectful to him. Would I do that if I wanted to see him harmed?"
Ms. Rhodes sighed, clearly aware those were all attempts to get out of this. "Did you recruit Camila into a group we have been calling The Silent?"
"I've been trying to work with you to find out who's doing that!" Ms. Hawthorne said.
So Ms. Rhodes stepped closer, resting a hand on Ms. Hawthorne's shoulder. She looked calm, almost friendly, but I had a feeling this version of her was the terrifying one. Carefully, Ms. Rhodes' fingers squeezed tighter, all but forcing Ms. Hawthorne to stop and pay very close attention.
"This is your last chance, Pearl. Be open with me and I will be lenient. Evade again, and I will be forced to deal with you." She paused, making sure Ms. Hawthorne not only heard that, but understood the threat. "Now, why have you done this to our kids? For decades now, you've helped me prepare our fae children to survive here. Why have you turned against usnow?"
For a moment, I was sure Ms. Hawthorne was going to try to get out of this. She stared at Ms. Rhodes, her eyes jumping quickly. Likely, she was thinking as fast as she could, trying to find a truth that would sound safe enough. Ms. Rhodes did nothing, simply waited.
I could tell when Ms. Hawthorne realized she was busted. The woman's shoulders slumped, and she looked over at me. "Titania worked so hard for her son. She sacrificed more than any monarch before her. Everything was in place, but you had to show up, didn't you?" Then she looked over at Ivy. "And I was supposed to bring Oberon's little bitch of a lover back for the next sacrifice, but she wasn't here. She wasn't on Earth! I was sent on a mission, but the gates closed, and I've been trapped. I'm supposed to be at Titania's side! You betrayed her, Ivy, but I won't do that. No, I intended to find out everything you knew, all your plans, and use them to make all the traitors pay."
"Oh, Pearl..." Ivy mumbled, dropping her head and hand just to step back. Then she lifted her voice. "Pearl Hawthorne, you are fired! I may not have the authority to punish you as you deserve, but I can make sure you never cross through the gatesof this institute again. Vow it and I will not need to enchant you. Resist me, and I will allow your prince to do with you what he will."
For a little too long, Ms. Hawthorne looked at Ms. Rhodes as if trying to make sense of what she'd just said. And yet, Ms. Rhodes didn't flinch. She stood there like a general waiting for the order that would determine what came next - like she was ready to do alotmore than simply banish Ms. Hawthorne.
The former teacher visibly gave in. "I swear that once I leave, I will not come onto Silver Oaks' property by foot or by car," Ms. Hawthorne said, sounding completely defeated. She glanced behind me, then back to Ms. Rhodes. "I will not use any vehicle or animal to enter the school's property. I concede that my time here is done, so I will leave peacefully, if you let me, but I will not promise to keep my mouth shut. I have seen the court, and our people deserve to know about them!"
She had to get in that last bit of defiance, and I knew that somehow, she'd make sure to make Ms. Rhodes pay. Still, if she left, that meant she couldn't hurt any of us again.
"Enemy..." Jack mumbled from my shoulder.
But Poppy shoved her way forward. "Did you do this, Mom? Did you try to kill my friends?!"
"Poppy..." Pearl tried, finally straining against the sentinels who held her.
"No!" Poppy screamed, slicing her arm through the air. "You are a traitor to the true leaders of Faerie. You're a hypocrite, and a disgrace to your bloodline. You, Pearl Hawthorne, are dead to me!"
Then she spun, clearly intending to flee, but Pascal dropped Ms. Hawthorne's arm to rush after her. As he moved, Beverly spun to grab the woman, but no one tried to stop him.
"Poppy!" Pascal called, grabbing her arm just to spin her around and into his chest. "We don't blame you."
Poppy just looked over his arm and back at her mother. "I'm a courtier of the true court, Mom. You were so busy trying to impress a bitch who locked you here that you didn't even notice your own daughter was trying to stop your precious little cause. Who's the fool now!"
