Duchess Swan and the Next Top Bird Read online

  “Get on with it, Mr. Charming,” Professor Poppa Bear said grumpily.

  Daring clapped his hands and P-Hawk stepped to center stage. He stood facing the audience. He looked left. He looked right. Then—whoosh—he opened his tail.

  Pirouette honked with surprise. She’d seen peacock tails before, but never one so large! It unfolded like a giant’s fan. Long, elegant feathers pointed toward the ceiling, each painted with a sparkling black eye. The audience clapped with appreciation as P-Hawk strutted about, showing off his plumage.

  “Oh feather dusters,” Duchess grumbled.

  “Very impressive,” Professor Poppa Bear said.

  “Enchanting,” Ashlynn added.

  Humphrey Dumpty didn’t say anything. He was too busy trying not to fall off the stool.

  “There’s no need to continue the contest,” Daring declared. “P-Hawk is undoubtedly the most talented bird at Ever After High.”

  “Agreed,” Professor Poppa Bear said. “I guess we’re done here. I’ve got just enough time to get home and watch the fourth chapter of the game.” He started to leave.

  “Wait,” Duchess called. She hurried to center stage and stood in the spotlight. “What about my swan? She still needs to compete.”

  Professor Poppa Bear growled with disappointment. “Very well. But be quick about it.”

  Daring shrugged. Then he returned to his stool. As P-Hawk strutted past Pirouette, he smirked again. Pirouette’s heart beat doubly fast.

  “Music,” Duchess called.

  “That’s me!” Lizzie announced from the front row. She opened her MirrorPad, and the sound track from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake blasted from the speaker. It was an important ballet for Duchess because it was the story of a princess who was cursed by a sorcerer and turned into a swan. That story was Duchess’s destiny. She and Pirouette had danced to it many times over the years. Pirouette knew the moves by heart.

  Duchess motioned at her, a proud smile on her face. “Come on, Pirouette. Show everyone that you are the most talented bird.” By everyone, she meant Daring, of course. P-Hawk rolled his eyes and faked a yawn.

  Oh, I’ll show him! Slowly, step-by-step, as if her webbed feet were made of lead, Pirouette inched toward the spotlight. With her eyes narrowed against the brightness, she could no longer see the faces of those watching. The music flowed from Lizzie’s speakers, filling every inch of the Charmitorium.

  “Go ahead,” Duchess encouraged. “Arabesque.”

  Here I go. After a deep breath, Pirouette stretched her wings, then rose onto one leg, balancing perfectly as she always did. Then she stepped forward, one, two, three, and rose onto the other leg, her wings outstretched like a ballerina’s arms. The audience oohed and aahed. It was going well. She glanced over at P-Hawk. He was watching, wide-eyed, but not laughing. Duchess was beaming. Another step, one, two, three, and—

  Pirouette tumbled forward, waddling like a duck and landing at the edge of the stage.

  Everyone gasped.

  She lowered her head in humiliation. That arrogant peacock would win just because he’d been born with a nice tail. She’d failed. She was about to tuck her head under her wing when the audience began to clap. Pirouette sat up and turned around.

  King Benedict had shuffled to center stage and was dancing. He didn’t know any ballet moves, but he certainly knew how to keep rhythm to the music. He bobbed his head and made a happy cluck, cluck sound. Then the golden basket wobbled, and the phoenix raced forward. She joined in the dance, swishing her tail feathers along the floor and kicking out her feet. And then P-Hawk was at Pirouette’s side. He didn’t smirk, and he didn’t roll his eyes. He winked, then nudged her with his beak, urging her to get up. She did, and the two of them walked into the spotlight, joining the others. P-Hawk bowed, then opened his tail with a mighty swoosh. He strutted around Pirouette, smiling at her. She couldn’t believe it. All the birds were dancing, and the audience loved it. Applause filled the air. Her confidence renewed, Pirouette stretched her wings and rose onto one leg. The audience cheered.

  Daring, Duchess, Humphrey, and Ashlynn gathered around Professor Poppa Bear.

  “Who’s the winner?” Duchess asked.

  “Need you ask?” Daring said. “Clearly, my bird is the best dancer.”

  “Hexcuse me?” Duchess put her hands on her hips. “That’s so not true. My swan knows how to do a grand jeté.”

  “I think they’re all good dancers,” Ashlynn said.

  “Everyone wins!” Professor Poppa Bear hollered. “Now, get out of my way so I can go watch the game. Don’t anyone tell me the score!” And he rushed down the aisle and out the exit.

  “Everyone wins?” Duchess and Daring said at the same time. Pirouette stopped dancing and watched her girl. Duchess and Daring stood face-to-face, arguing about whose bird was more talented.

  “I order everyone to stop arguing!” Lizzie commanded. Then, with a playful smile, she touched her MirrorPad. Swan Lake stopped playing, and a pop tune by Katy Fairy filled the Charmitorium. King Benedict, Sandella, and P-Hawk kicked up their feet, prancing, jumping, and twirling to the happy beat. Lizzie jumped up onstage and started dancing with them. The entire front row joined her, and soon the stage was full of dancers.

  Even though she was surrounded by lots of people, Pirouette couldn’t resist the rhythm. The music’s drum track vibrated up her legs. She moved from side to side, her little tail wagging.

  Duchess smiled down at her and patted her head. “I’m so proud of you. You got over your stage fright!” Pirouette stretched her wings and twirled.

  “Perhaps my bird isn’t the most talented after all,” Daring said with astonishment as Pirouette pointed her toes and leaped.

  Lizzie whispered in Duchess’s ear. “I think Daring just ate his words.” They both giggled.

  Then Duchess started dancing. And so did Daring.

  As P-Hawk circled around Pirouette, his head feathers bobbing, no one seemed to care who the best bird was. And best of all, everyone was having fun.

  When King Benedict laid another egg, everyone laughed.

  “Honk!”

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  About the Author

  Suzanne Selfors feels like a Royal on some days and a Rebel on others. She’s written many books for kids, including the Smells Like Dog series and the Imaginary Veterinary series.

  She has two charming children and lives in a magical island kingdom, where she hopes it is her destiny to write stories forever after.

  Look for other digital original stories from Ever After High!

  Don’t miss all the Ever After High novels!

  Books by Suzanne Selfors:

  Next Top Villain

  Kiss and Spell (coming soon!)

  A Semi-Charming Kind of Life (coming soon!)

  Books by Shannon Hale:

  The Storybook of Legends

  The Unfairest of Them All

  A Wonderlandiful World

  Once Upon a Time: A Story Collection

  Contents

  Cover

  Title Page

  Welcome

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  About the Author

  Look for other digital original stories from Ever After High!

  Copyright

  Copyright

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  Copyright © 2014 Mattel, Inc.

  Cover © 2014 Mattel, Inc.

  All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher is unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior
written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at [email protected]. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

  Little, Brown and Company

  Hachette Book Group

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  Little, Brown and Company is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The Little, Brown name and logo are trademarks of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

  The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.

  First ebook edition: December 2014

  ISBN 978-0-316-40481-5

  E3