Arosa slammed the gym door against the wall, her wings fluttering with agitation, but she did not have the energy to keep them still as all her energy was eaten up with anger and upset.

            “My lady, please.”  Barten-Cur was on her heels.  “They will all be restored at nine o’clock, but any that you change before then will remember.”

            Arosa let out one stream of white light and the music stopped suddenly and completely.  “But if we wait until nine, they will forget?”  Arosa wanted to be sure.  Barten-Cur nodded.

            “Dad?”  A firefighter with a big ax came up to Chief Brown.  The Chief was staring, but he did not know what to say.

            “Ergh!”  Arosa swallowed the words that had formed in her mouth while something like lightening emanated from her hands and hair.

            “Is there anything I can do?”  David asked.  Arosa shook her head.  People were coming in from the hall and cafeteria to find out why the music stopped.

            “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy!  Lila zoomed up to her mother and hugged her mother from ear to nose, which was about as far as she could reach.  “Mommy,mommy,mommy,mommy!”  Arosa grabbed the fairy around the legs and hips with one hand and extracted the little one from her face.

            “Lila?”  That was all she had to say, and it was in her explain yourself voice.

            “I was so scardy!  The soldiers came to get you and me, but Grandpa-Scardy-crow helped us and we got most of the soldier men captured.”

            “Where is your Grandfather?”  Arosa said.

            “Here.”  The Scarecrow came up, and Arosa put Lila in his straw hands.  Then she covered them with white light, and they were themselves once again, like nothing had ever happened.

            “But Mommy.  I was having fun.”  Lila said, and her hand shot to her mouth as she wondered why she was speaking like a three-year-old.

            “Superintendant?”  Chief Brown came up.  “I suppose there is an explanation.”

            “I suppose there is, Bob.”  Wendel said.  “But it will have to wait.  Arosa, we need your help.”  He took her by the hand and brought her to the cafeteria.  As they arrived, though, there was a sudden flash of light that made everyone squint and more than a few saw spots.  Red Rayder sat up.

            “Ashanti!”  He almost scolded her.  “I still have two lives left, you know.”

            Wendel Carter breathed, but Chef Brian was beckoning from the kitchen.  They found Queen Jessica there in a pot, which was almost ready to boil.  Arosa stopped it, set the Queen and her ladies free with a wave of her hand and scolded the witches, suggesting that it would be worse for them if they tried such a thing again.  Still, hardly expecting the witches not to try, she escorted Queen Jessica and her ladies back to the gym.  Once there, she had a surprise.  The other Queen and her remaining troops had invaded.

            “Arosa.”  The Queen started to speak, but Arosa’s anger brought down a stroke of lightning at the Queen’s feet and almost singed her dress.  The Queen became rightly respectful, but she still had anger of her own.

            “It is not a crime to want to see my Granddaughter!”  The Queen yelled.

            “But Kidnapping is a crime!”  Arosa yelled right back.  She knew what the woman wanted.

            “Captain Tor.”  The Queen said and pointed, but Tor was on one knee before Arosa.

            “Majesty.  Forgive us.”  He said.

            “Rebellion!”  The Queen yelled at him and considered kicking him, but the other soldiers around the room, especially those who were embarrassed at being caught having a good time, also went to one knee before Arosa.

            “Callista.  Mother.”  Arosa made an effort to calm down.  “Of course you may see your Granddaughter.” 

            “Mama?”  Lila wondered as Arosa took her by the hand and pulled her forward.

            “Lila.”  Arosa said.  “This is your Grandmother.  Your father’s mother.”

            Callista tried a smile, but it was clear she never smiled very much.  She wasn’t very good at it.  She held out her arms, and Lila slowly accepted a hug.

            “Grandmother?”  Lila said, somewhat unsure.

            “Yes, child.  And you are thirteen now.  It is time you came home to begin preparing for your rule.”

            “Rule?”  Lila said.

            “Of course, dear.  Has your mother told you nothing?  You will be Queen, by right and by blood.  I am merely a regent, and that is all your mother can be as well.”

            “Mama?”  Lila looked to her mother.  Queen Callista had a firm grasp on Lila’s shoulder and she did not look like she was going to let go.

            “No, mother.”  Arosa said firmly.  “She finishes her education here, first.  And that includes college, and Graduate school if she is so inclined.”

            “Here?”  Callista argued.  “What can she possibly learn here?”

            “They have these books.”  The wizard stepped forward, still holding tight to a volume from the Scientific Encyclopedia.

            “Oh, my books!”  Arosa suddenly put her thoughts together.  “Who set off the sprinklers.  Oh, I imagine they are ruined.”

            “Your books?”  Queen Callista questioned.

            “Well, they are the schools, but I am the Librarian.  I know there aren’t many.  The budget doesn’t allow for much, but the High School has a good library and there is always the public library.”

            “Not much?”  The Queen was dumbfounded.

            “Why, those are more books than I have ever seen in one place.”  The wizard said what they were thinking out loud.  “And you say there are more nearby?”

            Arosa got a playful look.  “Wait until you try the internet.”  She told the wizard.

            There was a bang then on the door behind.  “Count Severas!”  Arosa recognized him despite the fact that he had his hand half covering his face.

            “Princess, er, Majesty.”  Count Severas acknowledged Arosa and fell to his knees before Callista.  “My tooth.”  That was all he could say as he opened his mouth and pointed.

            Then the front door opened, and Cleopatra walked in holding pimp Kyle’s hand.  People looked astonished for a moment.  There was something wrong with that picture.  Then both Cleopatra and the pimp raised their hands like claws and showed their teeth.  People screamed, but Callista kept her head.  She swished her own green-light magic, and the vampires Cleopatra and pimp Kyle froze in place.  Arosa was wary.  There was still screaming, and she caught Tommy and Rachel trying to make off with the boys, Scream and the demon.  Her own white magic froze them, and then she froze the rest of the children as well.  She would have to come up with something to make them forget the night’s events.  Unfortunately, she missed the devil girl who had run to hide behind the couch as the vampires had approached.

            “My Lady.”  Barten-Cur was at her feet.  “I tried to get all the undesirables and kept them in room 204.  I do not know how they escaped.”

            Wendel Carter stepped up, and Lila finally broke free of her Grandmother for the more familiar arms of her Grandfather.  “Barton is as dear to me as anyone.”  He said.  “But he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.”

            Queen Callista begged to differ.  “He is not even the sharpest spoon in the drawer.”

            “Dad.”  Arosa had started to speak kindly and reached to touch his arm.  He was such a good man.  “Callista!”  She reacted to what Callista said.

            “Maybe we need some music.”  David whispered in Arosa’s ear.

            Arosa nodded.  “Mother.  You will stay with us, of course.”

            “Dad?”  Callista was not sure she had heard correctly.

            “All legal, I assure you.”  Wendel said, squeezing Lila.

            “Adopted.”  Arosa said.  “It is no secret.  But you must stay with us and learn something about this world.  Then we can talk reasonably about Lila.”

            “Agreed.”  Callista said.

            Then Arosa turned to the soldiers, still kneeling around the room.  “Up.”  She ordered.  “This is America and we don’t have Queens or Kings here.  Everybody up, and lets have the music.  It is only eight-thirty and we have a half hour left to dance.”

            “Mama.”  Lila looked thoughtful.  “I really am a Princess then, aren’t I?”

            “Yes, dear.”  Arosa responded before accepting a dance with David.

            Callista and Wendel Carter were making peace, and Chief Brown was dancing with his daughter. 

            “Better not tell Jessica.”  Lila said.  “What do you think, Ginger?”  The jaguar just growled, but Lila imagined she was laughing at the idea.

            At five of nine, everyone was gathered in the gym, like it or not.  The Truscan soldiers all hid out on the football field.  When nine o’clock came, everyone reverted to children in costumes, and Baby Barlow, the principal, made the announcement.

            “Nine o’clock.”  He said.  “I imagine some of your parents are already waiting in the parking lot.”

            “Nooo.”  Most of the children protested.  They had a really good time.

                                                            ————

            “So, Opas.  Now that Queen Arosa has arrived, how much longer do you think we will have to guard this door?”  Miraz asked.

            “Until the Captain comes to get us.  All night if need be.”  Opas answered with a sly grin.  He nudged Miraz against the wall.  “Race you to the top of the climbing bars.”  He said, and took off running.