“You act like a basic Evergirl . . . you suck up to Beatrix . . . you’re like a warrior princess moonlighting as an idiot,” Sophie panted, her heart in her throat. “Why? You’re clever and fierce. That shouldn’t be a secret. You could be anything you want. You could be Sultan—”
“And I choose not to be,” said Reena. “If there’s one thing I learned from my mother, it’s that palace life isn’t satisfying. Not to someone who wants to live for real. The spotlight of the throne shrivels you up. Turns you into something you’re not. Like Dad. He may seem weak-minded and overindulgent, but once he was a fiery warrior himself. That’s why I let Beatrix have the limelight. I don’t want a fairy tale. Ironic, of course, since I’m risking my life to help your friends win theirs.”
“Well, given the way Jeevan looked at you, I’d say you can have your fairy tale anytime you wish,” Sophie quipped.
Reena grinned at her, and Sophie suddenly realized that for all the storms of her own love stories, tormenting the Woods with their consequences, there were others, perfectly small and blissful, unfolding with hardly a ripple at all.
Over the desert they flew, skirting a long route around any other flyers in sight, staying as invisible as they could. Night settled in, the moon carved like a scythe. Soon the color of the dunes shifted from a rusted red to a sparkling silver, crowded with small tent villages. Sophie could see teenagers kicking a ball around. Sounds of music emanated from the tents, shadows dancing, drinking, laughing. Farther ahead, Sophie spotted a family of camels on a vacant stretch of sand, feeding from buckets of dried-out grass that someone had laid out for them.
Sophie tensed. “Those camels. They were the ones with Agatha . . . Where is she—”
Reena steered Nightwind down. “I’d say she’s right where she’s supposed to be.”
Over the empty sand, a vision appeared: a tiki hut, strung with a thousand lights and baubles and trinkets of every color, like a chaotic Christmas tree. Outside, crickets gathered, playing a sultry desert beat. A firefly-lit sign beamed out front:
Reena landed Nightwind and after jostling Merlin awake, Sophie wobbily dismounted, still dizzy from the ride, her shoes sinking into sand as she hustled the little wizard towards the pub, anxious to find Agatha. She was desperate to have her best friend at her side again and no doubt Aggie was feeling the same. Sophie pushed through the door, scanning the brightly lit pub for her—
Only it seemed Agatha already had friends at her side.
And not just friends . . . knights. A whole bunch of them, at least ten, dressed like Beatrix and Kiko had been, in shimmering armor.
For a moment, Sophie wondered if she was seeing straight, given the carpet ride. But then she realized: she knew these knights too. And now they were cheering for her as Reena stood on the bar and held up the compass, pointing at Sophie as the main reason they’d procured it.
Sophie spotted Agatha rushing towards her and Merlin—
“Thank goodness you’re both safe!” Agatha said, grabbing Sophie into a hug.
“Mama!” Merlin yipped, his arms around Agatha’s leg.
But now Dot was hugging Sophie too, looking a tad younger in her adult body, and so were Nicola and Hester and Anadil and Beatrix and Kiko, all her girlfriends in one place, wearing matching suits of armor. Over their shoulders, she spotted Hort alone in the corner, expecting him to pile in, but he was sipping a fizzy drink, lost in his thoughts. Near him, Reena inspected the Sultan’s compass, while Tedros was locked in conversation with Guinevere, Maid Marian, Princess Uma, and a stout matron who Sophie didn’t recognize, all but Uma in the same pearly chainmail as the other girls.
“Drinkie!” Merlin badgered Agatha, grasping for the aging potion in her pocket and squeezing it on his tongue.
“Am I dreaming, or are our friends all here?” Sophie asked Agatha. “Dressed as knights?”
“Hello, Sophie,” said a familiar voice.
Sophie turned to find the Queen of Jaunt Jolie, dressed in knight’s armor too.
“Jacinda?” Sophie sputtered. “I—I—I don’t understand—”
“My new Knights of Eleven,” said the queen. “Born out of the courage of girls like you and Agatha, who confronted Evil when I was too scared to. Girls like my daughter, who had the bravery to join your fight. If I had her courage before today, maybe she’d still be alive.”
“Betty,” Sophie said softly, thinking of the girl who had battled so valiantly for her and her friends. “She didn’t have to fight for us. But she did. Until the very end. Didn’t like me much, of course. But that’s probably a testament to her character.”
The queen hugged Sophie tight. “I suspect you and Betty were more alike than she would have wanted. Perhaps the two of you would have joined our Knights of Eleven, except for the fact you occupy a place more important.” She nodded at Agatha. “You’re this girl’s knight.”
“And what am I? Court jester?” Tedros teased, pulling Agatha to his chest. He looked relaxed for once, almost happy, Sophie thought, as if being around his friends made him feel protected, even if this was his quest alone. So much of the prince’s life had been spent on his own: no mother, no father, not even Merlin. Tedros had come to school searching for love. Love that could save him. The same kind of love that Sophie had come to this world to find. No wonder they’d both been so insufferable. No wonder they’d never gotten along. They were like two seals trapped underwater, fighting for the same breath of air.
He caught Sophie watching him. “Well, I can’t get too jealous,” the prince said. “You and Agatha have to stick together while I’m inside the cave.”
Sophie raised her brows. This was news to Agatha too.
“You’re going inside . . . alone?” said Agatha.
“Me too,” Merlin insisted, already looking older than a minute ago. “Merlin go with Tee Tee.”
“No, Merlin. No one’s going with Tee Tee. It’s my test,” Tedros reminded. “But I do have a job for you. You’ll be six years old soon. Think you can handle it?”
“A big job?” Merlin said, hopefully.
Tedros rubbed his head, then looked at the girls. “The cave is close. Reena checked the compass. She said it’s less than a mile from here.”
“But how will you get inside the cave?” Sophie asked. “You heard Kaveen’s story. Genie won’t let anyone in unless—”
“Leave that to Tedros,” said Uma, arriving with Guinevere, who both exchanged looks with the prince.
“The knights have a plan to beat the Snake,” Tedros explained to Agatha. “Have my doubts about it, but I’ll do anything if it doesn’t involve killing you.”
“What’s the plan?” said Agatha.
“Like Uma said . . . leave that to me,” Tedros replied.
Sophie could see Agatha stiffen.
“Though each of us will have a part to play,” added Maid Marian cryptically, joining the group, accompanied by the stout matron Sophie had spotted earlier, the last of the knights. This woman reached out a hand to Sophie.
“Dean Brunhilde,” she introduced herself. “Rhian and Japeth were my students at the Foxwood School for Boys.”