She spoke a while longer, but it was these words that remained in the minds of young and old when the Good Dean was finished, as they each took a turn touching the coffins and saying quiet goodbyes.

After the nymphs carried the coffins out of the Blue Forest and into the Woods, where they’d be properly buried by a new Crypt Keeper, the others moved into the Blue Pumpkin Patch for tea. Reena and Millicent played their flutes and Beatrix sang an aria no one listened to, while Merlin’s hat laid out a colorful spread of jam-dot cookies, coconut cake, caramel macaroons, and sugar-mint scones. Nearby, students broke into sun-drenched packs, sober faces gradually melting to smiles.

Hester, Anadil, and Dot peered at Sophie across the pumpkins, clad in Evil’s saggy black robes, and idling alongside Agatha in pink and Tedros in blue.

“Strange part is I’ll miss them,” said Anadil, rats peeking out of her tunic. “Even the cretinous prince.”

“At least with Sophie gone, Hester will finally be Class Captain,” Dot said, adding chocolate chips to her scone.

“Won’t mean very much without her, will it?” Hester said wistfully. “She was the greatest witch of us all.”

On the other side of the patch, Sophie noticed Hester, Anadil, and Dot sharing pieces of a scone and for the briefest of moments, she wished she could take them to Camelot with her.

“You’re worse than Sophie,” garbled Agatha’s voice.

Sophie turned to see her arguing with Tedros, Agatha’s mouth full of cake.

“You keep saying you’re hungry, but then you won’t eat anything,” Agatha badgered, spilling crumbs on her pink dress.

“Coronation’s tomorrow, which means they paint the royal portrait, which stays up for the next thousand years. Sorry if I want to look my best,” Tedros groused.

“They’re painting mine too and you don’t see me or Reaper acting like a ninny,” said Agatha, beaming at her hideous cat, chasing squealing Kiko around the Willows.

“Reaper?” Tedros blurted. “If you think for one second I’m allowing that Satan-worshipper in my castle—”

“Your castle? I thought it was our castle.”

“Which means we get a pet we both like.”

“No Reaper, no me.”

“No you, then.”

“You puffed-up, lily-livered, mule-headed—”

Agatha stopped and saw Sophie goggling at the two of them.

“I really am better off, aren’t I?” said Sophie.

All three of them burst into laughter.

“Tedros! Look!” Chaddick hollered.

The prince turned to see a gaggle of Evers gathered at the Blue Forest gates, ogling a white-and-blue carriage swerving up the path, pulled by two white horses, the corners of its square enclosure topped with vermillion flags.

“Is that it?” Agatha asked nervously.

Tedros smiled. “Come on, love. Camelot’s waiting,” he said, yanking her towards it. He glanced back. “Hurry, Sophie! There’s room in the carriage for three!”

“Which means your mother and I will have to ride behind!” a deep voice hollered.

Tedros looked up to see Lancelot with Guinevere, saddled on Benedict the horse, racing alongside the carriage.