“Tell . . . me,” Lady Lesso said.

Sophie smiled. “The same thing that made you turn your back on Evil too,” she said. “A friend.”

Lady Lesso took Sophie’s hand in hers, the Dean’s other hand still on Clarissa’s. “The Old and the New together,” she whispered. “Both in good hands.”

Tears slipped down Sophie’s face. “This is my fault—”

“No,” said Lady Lesso, steeling willfully. “Never that. You’re my child. As much as my own son. You are loved, Sophie.” Her voice faltered. “Always remember. You are loved—”

Clarissa touched her. “Lady Lesso, please . . .”

“Leonora.”

Lady Lesso looked up at her best friend. “My name . . . is Leonora.”

Slowly the Dean’s eyes closed. She never took another breath.

Professor Dovey finally wept, draping herself over her best friend.

Sophie quietly left the two of them alone.

Agatha was waiting for her at Gavaldon’s edge.

They stood together in silence, watching Dovey hold Lesso’s dead body the way Agatha once held Sophie’s.

Sophie’s fingers clasped Agatha’s.

Agatha gently squeezed Sophie back.

“Where’s Tedros?” Sophie said at last.

“Rounding up the others so we can head to the school,” Agatha replied, watching Tedros and Lancelot in the Forest lifting Ravan, Professor Anemone, and the other injured atop the rumps of Princess Uma’s few surviving animals. “So many hurt that we’ll need the other teachers’ help.”

“Come on. Let’s chip in,” Sophie said, heading towards the trees—

“Not yet,” said Agatha. “There’s someone waiting for you, first.”

Sophie looked over her friend’s shoulder and saw Stefan, standing in the grass, the rest of the villagers gathered at a distance.

Sophie’s heart caved in.

Stefan never said a word. He just hugged his daughter tight, as both of them sobbed.

“I’m sorry,” she breathed. “I’m sorry, Father.”

“I never hated you. Never,” Stefan fought. “I tried to be a good father—you don’t know how hard I tried—”

“You were,” Sophie sniffled. “You were a good father.”

“I love you more than anything in the world,” Stefan whispered. “You’re my child, Sophie.”

Stefan saw Agatha crying now, watching him with Sophie.

“Though you’ve always made Agatha feel like one of mine too,” he said, smiling tenderly at her.

Sophie wiped her cheek. “Come on, Aggie.”

Agatha hugged Stefan too, nestling against him, as her tears stained his shirt. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him everything. But as she caught Sophie’s eyes, her friend clearly having the same thoughts, neither of them said a word. For in a single moment, they’d found everything they needed. They didn’t need any more. There, in the space between worlds, two girls held their father, their bodies still and serene, as if three pieces had been made whole at last.

Agatha looked up at Stefan, smiling. With a gasp, she broke away from him—

For Stefan was shimmering, along with the rest of the villagers behind him. Within seconds, their bodies turned translucent, as Gavaldon started vanishing into a glare of white light.