Scarlet Discovers True Strength Read Online Free PDF Page B

. Then Scarlet read the holo-sign by the door at the end: BOT-BOT SECURITY .
    Freakin’ fireballs,
she thought.
Security!
Time to turn around!
    Heart thumping, she scurried back down the hall and rounded the corner into the safety, she hoped, of Stellation three.
Please let me find what I’m looking for here,
she wished.
    That hall looked basically the same, except the glow given off by the marble walls was a bit aquamarine. These doors, too, had holo-signs, and Scarlet read the first one on her right: ADMISSIONS . Lady Cordial’s office. Of course. Scarlet remembered it now from her own Time of Applying, when she had first visited the school. She’d come alone, since her parents had been on tour and unable to take the time off. Lady Cordial, the head of admissions, had been pleasant in their interview but not as welcoming as one might have hoped—especially one with test scores such as Scarlet’s, which were practically off the charts. But that was Lady Cordial, Scarlet now realized: stiff and skittish and often at a loss for words. Scarlet had eventually learned, like every Starling Academy student, not to take things too personally with her.
    On the other hand, Scarlet’s next interview with Lady Stella had been one of the best starhours of her whole life. There was something about the headmistress that made every Starling feel as if she’d known her for staryears. Scarlet had already
thought
she wanted to go to Starling Academy, but meeting Lady Stella had sealed the deal. The headmistress didn’t care if Scarlet didn’t like rainbows as much as rain clouds or loved the most unloved of Starling colors—black. She seemed to know, too, that Scarlet wasn’t half as interested in learning to grant wishes as she was in living on her own. And yet she welcomed Scarlet into Starling Academy with warm and open arms. Lady Stella had always seen Scarlet for who she was and admired her for being herself, which only made Scarlet feel worse about having to leave the Star Darlings—and more determined to get back in.
    With that in mind, she moved on, shifting her hat to continue reading each star-shaped sign.
    ATTENDANCE , ACCOUNTING , ALUMNI RELATIONS , STUDENT LIFE , FACULTY LOUNGE …
    â€œâ€˜Faculty lounge’?”
Hmmm.
Scarlet paused. So
this
was where their professors hung out when they weren’t teaching the finer points of Wishful Thinking or giving a pop quiz on wish identification. She could only imagine what they did in there. Compare lesson plans? Share grading tips? Complain about students, such as Scarlet, who liked to bark out answers instead of politely raising their hands? She pictured them gathered around a table, sharing sighs and cups of Zing.
    â€œAre you going in?”
    Scarlet froze.
    The person behind her spoke again. “Star apologies. I don’t mean to rush you.” A hand reached over Scarlet’s shoulder to cover the scanner in the middle of the door. “It’s just, well, my class ran a few moogles over and I’m late for my massage.”
    The scanner glowed bright blue. “Welcome, Professor Nicola Cecelia,” a Bot-Bot voice greeted the teacher—her Astral Accounting teacher, Scarlet realized—as the door to the faculty lounge opened wide.
    Starf!
thought Scarlet as her eyes took in the scene. She was careful to keep her hat low, but she could still make out much of the room—everything from the frozen cocomoon yogurt bar to the manicure/pedicure stations to the hot tub
and
swimming pool! Most classes were still in session, so the lounge was far from full. Nevertheless, there were plenty of teachers already enjoying themselves. Professor Elara Ursa, the Wishers 101 teacher, was having her hair done by a Bot-Bot stylist as she read a holo-magazine. Professor Eugenia Bright, meanwhile, was playing a rather intense spark-filled game of star-pong with Professor Dolores Raye. Giggles spilled out of a