“After every epic journey, something must be lost,” he said, probing his newly visible chin.

“Merlin, I’ve been thinking,” said Agatha. “Why could I get through the shield between Gavaldon and the Woods when no one else could?”

“The shield was made to keep Evil from breaking into the Reader World, my dear,” said Merlin. “But sometimes to keep Evil from getting in, you have to let Good out.”

Agatha watched him, her throat tightening. “Oh Merlin . . . how I’ll miss you.”

“Miss me?” said Merlin, swiveling. “You don’t think I’ll let that boy run a kingdom without my help, do you?”

“And here I thought I was too old for a tutor,” Tedros grinned, sidling next to Agatha.

“Not sixteen until tomorrow, boy,” piped the wizard, sizing up the young couple. “Besides, in time, you’ll have a little rug rat who needs a tutor too.”

Agatha and Tedros gaped at him, both hot pink.

Merlin cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should focus on making it through your coronation first.”

“If only there was room in our coach, you could spend the whole ride to Camelot making Agatha and I uncomfortable,” Tedros quipped. “But alas, with Sophie, our carriage is full.”

Merlin looked past them, mouth curling into a smile. “Is it?”

Tedros and Agatha turned.

Sophie swept towards them, wearing Lady Lesso’s majestic, sharp-shouldered purple gown.

Agatha dropped her cat.

Sophie had no makeup on, sleepless bags under her eyes, and her hair was a bit of a mess, but even so, as they faced each other in silence, Agatha had never seen her friend look so calm, so assured, so . . . beautiful.

That’s when Agatha knew.

“It’s what she wanted, Aggie,” Sophie rasped.

Agatha’s lip quivered. “You’re—you’re not coming with us?”

“I’ll be Dean of Evil, while Professor Dovey stays on as Dean of Good. The two of us working side by side like Lesso and Dovey once did,” said Sophie. “Together, we’ll keep the Storian well guarded until a new School Master is named.”

She could see a crowd of Evers, Nevers, teachers, and heroes, old and young, gawking as word spread. (Professor Manley broke his teacup.)

Agatha couldn’t speak. “But . . . but . . .”

“You wanted me to be happy, Agatha,” said Sophie. “This is where I belong. This is what I want. Teaching students like me what Evil really means.”

Agatha shook her head, tears rising. “Oh, Sophie. You’ll be a wonderful Dean,” she gasped, throwing arms around her. “I’ll . . . I’ll just miss you.”

“You’ll be an even better queen, Aggie,” Sophie promised. “You’ll change their lives. Like you changed mine.”

Even Tedros looked misty-eyed now. “It’s only a day’s ride to Camelot, Sophie. Surely you’ll come visit?”

“As much as you two will have me,” Sophie said.

Agatha hugged her tighter, her tear-stained cheek against her friend’s. “I love you, Sophie. I love you more than you can know.”

“I do know, Aggie,” Sophie whispered. “Because I love you just the same.”