“We are taking the matter of Princess Rose into our own hands,” says Rapunzel. “She will be dealt with by her fellow princesses and take a leave of absence while we discuss her behavior. We couldn’t have stopped her without help from the Fairy Tale Reform School students.” May we suggest Rose be sentenced to a transformation at Fairy Tale Reform School?
Meanwhile, in a fit of rage, Alva turned into a wyvern, a type of dragon that is impossible to kill. Thanks to the quick thinking of the FTRS students, she was struck by a dagger laced with gingerroot and returned to her fairy form where the Evil Queen contained her. It turns out Professor Harlow was working undercover with Headmistress Flora at FTRS to capture Alva the whole time! “After she transformed back to her wicked fairy form, Alva was turned into a statue by Professor Harlow and stored at an undisclosed location where she will be heavily guarded,” Headmistress Flora tells us. “We at FTRS will make sure she is never a threat to the kingdom of Enchantasia again.”
With Harlow’s name cleared, she will likely take her position back at FTRS, which leaves Blackbeard in the lurch. “We’ll find room for everyone,” Miri, the school spokesmirror, says.
Once again, Enchantasia residents have Gillian Cobbler to thank for their safety! Or do they?
“I cannot take credit for the events at Royal Manor yesterday evening,” says Gillian, recovering in the school infirmary from burns from the wyvern. “Princess Rapunzel and my friends—Jax, Ollie, Kayla, Maxine, and Jocelyn—did far more than I ever could,” she says. “The only way to beat someone as fierce as Alva or as distressed as Princess Rose is to work together as a team. FTRS has taught me that, and I’m grateful to my friends for saving the day.”
CHAPTER 19
A New Path
Gillian Cobbler—For your epic bravery in the war against Alva, we grant you early release from Fairy Tale Reform School.
—Signed this day by Headmistress Flora
I can’t believe it! I’m free! I’m going home! When the scroll arrived under our dorm room door this morning, I could barely contain my excitement. Even Kayla was jumping up and down. And that was before Maxine barged in.
“Look what I got!” Maxine held up a piece of parchment with the new FTRS school emblem stamped on it. Now our school crest has five boxes—a full moon, a trident, a bitten apple, a glass slipper, and a skull and crossbones. With the truth about Harlow out, Blackbeard was given a much more suitable position. He’s now FTRS’s official head of athletics and safety.
Kayla read Maxine’s pardon. I suspected we’d soon see more pardons coming for Ollie and Jax. “This is great,” she said, her wings popping out and beginning to flutter. “I’m so happy for both of you.”
I give my roommate a hug. Now I’m getting misty. “We’re not done yet.” I look into her amber eyes. “We won’t stop ’til we find your family too.”
Our room’s mirror begins to glow violet, then fuchsia. “Illegal use of magic! Occupant in upper-level dorm room not permitted.” Miri says. Ogres aren’t usually allowed on upper floors of the girls’ dormitory due to the weight limit.
“Miri?” I say. “Kayla and I are with Maxine. She was visiting.”
“Oh!” The hue of Miri’s mirror turns a soothing shade of lavender. “Madame Cleo was looking for you three. I’ll patch her through.”
The mirror swirls fade and Madame Cleo comes into focus. She’s sitting on a rock with waves lapping around her.
“Morning, darlings!” Her aquamarine tail flaps against the black boulder. Her long, beautiful hair is a lovely shade of amber, which matches her shell top. “Blackbeard and I wanted to congratulate you all on a job well done with Alva.” Blackbeard’s large frame comes into view. His ship is docked right behind Madame Cleo.
“Jolly good job ye all did! Ye be quite the crew,” he says in a booming voice. “Before ye set sail, we be inviting ye to a party on my ship. We set sail in one hour! The lads and the other professors will be joining us. Come packed and then we’ll see you off.”
A pirate party? I’m so there. “We just got our notices. I didn’t know we’d be leaving so soon.”
“Your families have been informed,” Madame Cleo tells us, and Maxine instinctively clutches my hand. “Is that okay, darlings? Who doesn’t want to be sprung from reform school as soon as possible?”
I’ve been dying to get out of here and yet…I look around my room. The drawings Kayla and I have hung, the paper stars that dangle from the ceiling, my comfy bed, the stained glass window, the mini magical chalkboard that hangs on the back of our door. Who will be Kayla’s roommate? Will she like her as much as me? What will everyone do now that there’s no villain to go after?