“We’ve told yer parents we’d send ye home by Pegasi, well, except for the bonny Miss Maxine. You’ll be traveling by coach.” Maxine nods. “You’ll leave straight from the party.” Blackbeard jumps over the rail of his ship and lands in the water next to Madame Cleo’s rock. She squeals as he climbs up next to her. “See you soon!” The mirror goes dark as he puts an arm around our teacher. Gross.
“I guess I should go pack,” Maxine says uncertainly. “I can’t believe I’m going home.” She tugs at one of the necklaces around her neck. “I don’t even remember what life was like in my village. At least the ogres have signed that peace treaty with the princesses. Life should be better there now. Still, it’s going to be nowhere near as fun as being with you guys.” She smiles uncertainly. “We’ll stay in touch, won’t we?”
Fiddlesticks, I’m going to cry. “That’s what the Pegasus Post is for! We’ll write and maybe we’ll even have a reunion.”
“A Fairy Tale Reform School Reunion!” Kayla agrees. “I’ll plan one since I’ll still be here.”
“But not for long,” I say firmly.
“Not for long,” Kayla echoes.
? ? ?
An hour later, I’m standing at the dock next to Blackbeard’s ship and I can hear the merriment and music. Mermaids are swimming around the boat with Madame Cleo, who is sunning herself on a rock, and the pirates on board are clinking glasses and cheering. Pegasi and magic carpets fly overhead, sprinkling confetti. This is one big party.
“They’re here!” I hear a pirate shout. “Land ahoy! Leave yer trunk next to the others.” I notice two others already there. “Then come aboard, lasses!”
A plank slides out of the side of Blackbeard’s ship and lowers to the dock. We hold hands to stay steady and head up the plank. As soon as we reach the deck, we see our professors. Headmistress Flora is with her daughters. Wolfington is talking to Jax, and Ollie is doing a jig with some of the crew. For a moment, I’m confused when I see two individuals dressed in black on the deck. Harlow and Jocelyn look slightly out of place among all the dancing pirates. But I gasp when I catch sight of Jax. He’s wearing a royal uniform with a royal gold crest. He looks like a prince! He is a prince! I’m stunned.
He bows to me. “I clean up nicely, don’t I?”
“You look very royal,” I agree. “So you’re going home?”
He nods. “Father and I told Rapunzel everything after the attack. She was stunned but very happy. They’ve got their hands full at the Manor at the moment with Princess Rose.” He rolls his eyes. “She says she was under some charm, but I think Ella is wise to her. Either way, she’s in a comfy dungeon at the palace until they figure out how to handle her.”
“Well, don’t rule out reformation,” Professor Wolfington says and winks at me. “As we’ve learned, even the darkest villains can be redeemed.”
“Maybe,” says Jax, adjusting the gold collar on his dress clothes. “I guess we’ll see when I get there.” He makes a face. “Father says once he introduces me to everyone, I’m being enrolled at Royal Academy.”
“You’ll love it!” Dahlia gushes. “All the best people go there.”
“All the best students go here,” Headmistress Flora corrects her.
“Yes they do!” Ollie dances over to me and swings me under his arm. “We did it!” Maxine, Kayla, and Jax join us.
“You guys did it,” I correct him. “You’re the true heroes.”
Father sent a Pegasus Post yesterday saying how proud he was of me working with the team. I’m not going to get the praise from others that I got from him this time around, but that’s okay. Being a hero is a lot of work. I’m just glad my family is okay, and that with Rose being dealt with, Father’s business is still intact.
“You’re all heroes,” Headmistress Flora corrects me, “and Enchantasia owes you its gratitude.” Professor Wolfington passes around glasses of a purple fizzy drink that looks so delicious I want to swallow it in one gulp. The headmistress looks at me. “I’m sorry we had to keep you all in the dark. I know it didn’t put me in the best light.”
“I understand.” I read the HEAS this morning too. The wickedest witch ever is actually good and was sending Maxine clues to find the mole and help stop Alva. And I repaid her bravery by freezing her. Gulp. “I’m sorry I doubted you.” My eyes shift to Professor Harlow and Jocelyn. “Both of you.”
“It’s understandable,” Professor Harlow says in her smooth-as-silk voice that still makes me shiver. “Not everyone can be as enlightened as Jocelyn and see through the charade.”
And that is why she’s my least favorite professor here. Still, I owe her my gratitude. “Thank you for trying to save us,” I add humbly.
She smiles ever so thinly. “I knew my skills would come in handy with the wyvern. Now that Alva is a statue and locked away, we shall worry about her no more.”
Statue or no statue, the thought of Alva still out there makes me nervous.
“You never explained how you got away from the wyvern’s flames,” Ollie says.