Good Curses Evil (16 page)

“Don't be ridiculous, Rune. Your henchman turned out to be a nursemaid. You had to be rescued by your
kidnapped
princess. You ended up restoring a kingdom to its rightful rulers. And even that redheaded little brat was more capable than you were.”

“But, but …” I had no argument.

“At least
Chad
was backstabbing. At least
Chad
had ulterior motives. Have I taught you nothing, Rune?”

“But, but …” My eye was practically convulsing. Was he seriously comparing me to sniveling, cookie-baking, freckled …

“And on top of it all, you broke into my study and stole my crystal!”

A very dangerous vein throbbed on the Dread Master's left temple. (It reminded me a little of my own twitching eye.) Slowly the throbbing subsided and he resumed his smooth, indifferent tone.

“At least that act showed
some
initiative. Well done on that account, I suppose.”

I couldn't believe my ears. Did my dad just …
compliment
me? I felt a little warm and fuzzy inside.

“However, your thievery will not go unpunished.”

So much for warm and fuzzy.

“Answer this riddle for me, Rune. What's green and slippery and is about to get cleaned up by a Fiend who had the audacity to steal my crystal?”

“Slug slime?” I asked in a small voice, the last vestige of my good mood flying right out the door.

“Very good, Rune,” the Dread Master said. “You'll make a fine Fiend.”

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book really began early one morning as I woke up with an idea in my head and scrambled for a pencil and paper. I jotted down just a few words about a villain school and a boy whose father was disappointed with him. That story grew into the book you are now holding.

That might never have happened were it not for the following people: Nancy Gallt, thanks for your initial interest in my story. Marietta Zacker, you walked me through every step of this wonderful experience, and I am eternally grateful. Caroline Abbey, my editor at Bloomsbury, you made my words shine. Thanks to my family and friends for their patient listening and high expectations. Thanks to the teachers who were fun and thoughtful and tough on me. Thanks to the Greatest Author who inspires me every day. My gratitude to everyone who had a hand in this story as it made its way from mind to page to shelf. And thank you, reader, for choosing this book.

About the Author

Stephanie S. Sanders

Great villains begin with a Plot, and Stephanie S. Sanders is no exception. While she would not call herself a villain, she is the mastermind who Plots against her characters, constantly throwing them into the paths of wicked gingerbread witches, cookie-baking two-faced roommates, and perhaps the worst of all … evil school masters. She lives in Iowa with her two mischievous girls and her deceptively sweet husband, Benjamin. When she's not Plotting against her own characters, Stephanie is likely to be found creating strange works of art, taking incriminating photographs, reading dangerous books, or eating indecent amounts of chocolate.

www.stephsanders.com

www.villainkids.com

Copyright © 2011 by Stephanie S. Sanders
Bat illustrations © 2011 by Esy Casey

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief
quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

First published in the United States of America in August 2011 by
Bloomsbury Books for Young Readers
E-book edition published in August 2011
www.bloomsburykids.com

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to
Permissions, Bloomsbury BFYR, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10010

The Library of Congress has cataloged the hardcover edition as follows:
Sanders, Stephanie (Stephanie Summer).
Villain School : good curses evil / Stephanie Sanders.— 1st U.S. ed.
p. cm.
Summary: Twelve-year-old Rune Drexler is struggling in his classes at Master
Dreadthorn's School for Wayward Villains and will be exiled unless he and his friends,
Countess Jezebel Dracula and Big Bad Wolf Junior, can succeed at a nearly impossible
Plot.
ISBN 978-1-59990-610-2 (hardback) • ISBN 978-1-59990-848-9 (paperback)
[1. Adventure and adventurers—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction. 3. Schools—Fiction. 4. Best friends—Fiction. 5. Friendship—Fiction. 6. Good and evil—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.S1978832Vil 2011        [Fic]—dc22        2010050180

ISBN 978-1-59990-730-7 (e-book)