Epilogue 

            Lydia Parker, the little devil girl, wrote everything down in her diary.  She knew why Cleopatra and the pimp had such big hickies, and why Tom and Rachel were sick with a stomach virus for three days after the dance.  She was not surprised to hear Ginger growl and threaten to scratch Jessica’s eyes out if Jessica started picking on her the way she used to pick on Brittany, and she was also not surprised to see Peter, short as he was, and Jennifer, tall as she was, go out on more than one date.  Lydia understood a lot of things that the other kids did not understand, but she never told a soul, except the school librarian with whom she became very close.

            Callista visited on a fairly regular basis, which was about as much as she and Arosa could stand.  She was convinced that this world was not the worst possible choice after Lila took her to the mall.  She took up reading trashy romances, naturally preferring the historical ones, especially the ones with pirates if you can believe it, and she and Grandpa Carter became cordial friends after a fashion, which is to say, she let him get as close to her as anyone could get.

            David and Arosa continued to date, but after a time it was more like friends than potential lovers.  By the time the summer came, they had yet to speak of anything approaching engagement.

            That summer would have been a terrible time for Lila if things had gone differently.  It was agreed that Lila should go to Truscas every summer until she came of age, which was twenty-one, not eighteen like in America.  She had to learn to be a Princess before she could be a Queen.  There was even talk of a proper arranged marriage, but that would be in the future and not something to presently worry about.  For her, that first summer would have been rough, though, if Arosa had not relented.  Lila’s special friends, her crew from the dance were all let in on the secret and allowed to visit with her at the castle.

            “Prince Gergor and Princess Tanis have returned to the West from their Other World, most likely this one.”  Callista had explained.  “The back of the Empire has been broken, and there is even a rumor that Kzurga himself is dead.  All things considered, it seemed a safe time to let Lila come home.”

            Arosa understood, and she set Callista’s mind at ease when she proclaimed that she had no desire to return to Truscas or Nova, and she had no intention of asserting her right to the regency.  “I like it here just fine.”  She said.  “And I’m happy.”  She added, hoping Callista could understand the word.

            So, Arosa made sure that all of the children, apart from Lila and Lydia, and eventually her special friends, and all of the adults concerned apart from Dave and Wendel, but certainly including the fire department and the faculty had no memory of anything amiss or imagined that anything strange might have occurred on Halloween night.  The Truscan soldiers under Barten-Cur’s watchful eye had the place spotless in time for school the next day.  And then the soldiers went home, leaving only Callista, the wizard, and Count Severas who had to see a real dentist; and I am not sure about Opas and Miraz.  They might be guarding that west door between the school and the playground to this very day.