A Week Later:

Petunia's essence floated around her glass coffin, tethered to her frozen body.

Guards stood by her around the clock while tourists took pictures, or picnicked under apple trees.

A woman with glittery hair laughed and ran from the crowds. She slid a dagger from her pocket and rushed toward the coffin.

A guard twisted the blade from her hand. The woman escaped.

"Send for Tribeca," the head guard said.

Tribeca visited from New Joy twice a week, sometimes with Edgar as if it were a date.

For the first dozen visits, Petunia screamed. "You're old and ugly and don't deserve your power! I hate you." She tried to move her body to kick and scream, but she couldn't. "You're 49% more cringe."

Tribeca and Edgar's visits increased, and the couple made sure the surrounding grounds were tidy, including Petunia's new family mausoleum. Ready for when Victor died in prison, or maybe her as well.

They allowed Victor to visit once, draped in chains.

Tribeca took notes. "Everything is for her good."

"How is this for my good?" Petunia attempted to make her eyes flutter, but all she could do was manage a small fart. Her essence stuck her tongue out at Tribeca.

"Your father still hasn't woken up." Victor stared at the coffin.

"He completed his murders, and you have to admit what you did was wrong. My father never will."

Victor spoke to Petunia's frozen form. "I'm freer than I have ever been, and I need to get back. It's interesting working in the commissary..." he paused. "I regret manipulating you, but it was really easy to do."

Her brother left, but Edgar and Tribeca kept coming back to Petunia's prison, and it was a prison.

After the six-month visit, Petunia spotted jade bands on their fingers. And they started to bring the children, and the couple adopted a third. A small boy with freckles.

Tribeca kissed Edgar. He grasped her and smiled.

When they left, Petunia wept, yet her body remained still. "It's love, and I don't have it. You have the life I wanted. I deserve magic, love, and freedom. It's unfair!" She stopped her tantrum. "It is fair. Tribeca is worthy." Pain shot through her essence. It mimicked the physical pain Blackstone felt when she supported his torture. The aches switched, and she remembered those she attacked with an electric dagger.

The burning felt unreal. Darkness surrounded her, and she saw only shadows for months.

Alone in her suffering. Light filtered back. Another friendly face broke through, and she finally saw the surrounding guards and tourists.

Gawkers pointed at her coffin as if her frozen body were a tourist attraction. A couple of children opened the lid and threw popcorn at her face.

"Stop that," Kyle scolded them.

He volunteered two hours a week. She wanted him to kiss her awake, but it didn't happen.

It never happened and wouldn't work.

The woman came back and tried to kill her again, and after that, Griffin came to protect her.

He always spent three hours each day, but he didn't interact with the guards. And he read her The Christmas Carol, how-to books, or books on enlightenment.

Griffin read to her for three hours.

Petunia interrupted the dull book. "Stop reading that drivel! 820,000 Ways to Use Slime Molds to Camp, Fight, and Meditate should be listed as torture because of how boring it is. The last 500 pages are the worst."

Griffin dropped the heavy book, and he heard her. He was the only one who heard her.

He grinned, but his eyes appeared almost empty. "The book is useful, and if I'm worth saving, you are. Even though you're obnoxious."

"Thanks, loser," Petunia said. Her voice filled with joy that she was heard. "Why isn't Kyle around more? Does he hate me?"

Griffin spoke. "Kyle is helping the orphans find homes and organizing relief efforts through his inn."

Wendy approached and gave Griffin his book back. She placed flowers by the coffin. "I hate Petunia sometimes, but I also feel sorry for her. Sadly, I doubt the former queen feels bad for what she's done."

"But I do," Petunia whispered. "I do."

"Wendy, do you want to go to dinner with me after I am relieved of duty? It's not a date, but I need someone to talk to." Tears flooded his eyes.

"Of course... I'm sorry about your parents." Wendy waited until his time was up and left.

Petunia moaned to herself. "His parents died? Griffin's parents died, and I wasn't there for him, just like I wasn't there when Victor and Queen Izz took them, and I allowed Alva to torture Blackstone. No, I helped."

Midnight:

Two years and three weeks had passed since Petunia became frozen in her magical sins. Screams echoed around her.

She opened her eyes, screamed inside her coffin, and was no longer tethered.

Bouquets of pink and white roses were placed on either side.

Her three guards ran away with twisted grins.

She screamed again.

A gloved hand reached over her mouth. "If you have a tantrum, I'll place you in a cell like your brother."

"Where is Griffin? He promised he'd read to me, and he didn't show up."

"He ran with the guards." Kyle's dragon arms shifted into those of a humanoid. His wings disappeared, and he hid his face.

"Griffin wouldn't run." Petunia batted his hand. "Did that weird woman return? Did she hurt Griffin?"

"She is a follower of Queen Izz. His stepmother is trying to bring Alva back." Kyle handed her a cloak.

"Besides the trying to kill me part, isn't that a good thing?" she asked. "The queen loves Alva, and shouldn't she have him back? He's part of the oracle book and has changed. Even though I no longer love him, I still miss him."

Kyle grunted before he spoke. "No, he will become evil again. We didn't realize how Queen Izz twisted the prophecies for her amusement."

"I don't want to die without telling everyone I'm sorry." Her once-frozen fingers enjoyed the sensation of touch. She spoke again. "Am I worth saving?" Petunia paused. "Does Blackstone want to kill me, too? If someone has to slaughter me, it should be him."

"We need to run." He threw a bag at her. "We'll have to hike to the beach. Griffin and the guards didn't run because they were cowards." He yanked his cloak off and revealed a twisted grin. "I found a cure." Kyle ate the chocolate that he stored in a pocket, and his face healed. "She can't be everywhere at once."

"I didn't try to kill Griffin, but I will hurt him if you don't give me Victor and the child," the sky whispered. Queen Izz's hand reached out for Petunia. "Sadly, I thought my sacrifice would make me less furious at Victor and you for Alva's death, but I hate you more."

"I didn't murder him! Are you a moron?" Petunia stomped on the ground, but she stopped herself. "I'm sorry, he died. He was beautiful."

"I trusted your brother, and he poisoned my son. I only had Griffin's brat to save Alva because I knew he'd die."

"You had Griffin's child. I doubt you told him. Did you ditch the child at the orphanage?" Petunia asked.

"My spawn bored me, and I couldn't figure out how to kill him without damaging his body. He's the vessel. Alva is the only one I'll consider my son!" Light came from the sky and shattered the coffin.

The light struck Kyle and twisted his face. He fed himself, grabbed Petunia's arm, and dragged her into the empty mausoleum. "I took the boy out over a year ago, and that's why I haven't been visiting much."

One of Kye's waiters walked in from behind and handed Petunia the small, wailing child.

The former queen smiled at him until the crying stopped.

"I secretly tested Griffin because I thought there was a growing resemblance in the last three weeks." Kyle's eyes lowered. "Your brother, Victor, also told me he could've been the boy's father, and I had to wait until the prison allowed testing." Kyle grabbed his phone and texted. "I'm going to beg for help from Florence."

Same Night:

Florence and Blackstone walked past the empty coffin. Only shards of glass remained behind.

"This seems to be a lightning strike, but it's not natural." Florence received a text on her phone.

"It's magic. What should we do?" Blackstone asked.

"Kyle texted me, and Petunia is with him. You were right about Queen Izz. She wants a vessel for Alva. It's why she needed to seduce Griffin. Their son is the vessel."

"What?" Blackstone asked.

Florence handed him a laser gun. "Queen Izz might go after Wendy. She might also want a vessel for her own body. We'll have a boat stashed."

Nine Hours Later:

Sand clung to Wendy's legs, and they watched silver and purple sea dragons peek their heads above the ocean spray.

Only the waves and distant birds were heard. Everyone hid in their houses.

Blackstone handed Wendy a cucumber sandwich from the picnic basket and a thermos of hot chocolate, which seemed odd on a sunny day, but a chill clung to the air with the scent of roses and apples.

The temperature dropped each hour, and there might not be a place to flee.

A broken castle was left untouched on the cliff. Memories from the time before, and no one entered it.

Smoke rose from the other side of the beach, and they could barely make out humanoid forms.

"Why is the beach almost empty?" Wendy asked. "It's not that cold. Why is it getting colder in the middle of summer?"

Blackstone kept his eyes on the boat, ready to flee. "Would you like cherry jam?" He sat down on the red beach blanket. "Or maybe some mushroom soup?"

Wendy sighed to herself. "You're changing the subject because you despise being dishonest." She nibbled on a homemade potato chip from a cloth bag.

"Miriam's village is up north and still iced over. We plan to visit Florence's ancestors."

"Is that why you brought me here to tell me that you're moving? I thought you were going to start a family." Wendy looked at the banquet.

"We are not ready for kids and might never be. So, no, we aren't leaving you behind. You haven't visited the islands."

"What aren't you telling me?" Wendy untucked the oracle book from her pocket in her patchwork skirt and tossed it on the blanket.

The book opened. Words and numbers danced on the page, started to fade, and came back with recipes.

"The oracle book is confused, too, but it might be the end." Blackstone handed her grapes from his basket.

"Where are Florence and Griffin? I haven't seen either of them." Wendy grabbed the binoculars.

"Petunia is awake, the curse is starting again, and Queen Izz went full evil. But don't worry, Florence will help us flee if Griffin is dead," Blackstone blurted.

"I'm not worried about Griffin," she lied.

Blackstone ate a piece of cheese. "Cora has forgiven him, and he saved you, so I'll forgive him. I know your friends again, and I'm okay with it."

"Maybe I'm worried. And he has changed, like really changed, and not for a woman." She grabbed her binoculars and watched the sea dragons, but turned to the other campers.

One of them snuffed the fire out. Two cloaked figures walked in their direction, and their ratted coverings fell into the wet sand.

Wendy's binoculars shook around her neck. "It's Florence, but something is wrong with Griffin. He looks broken."

"What do you mean by broken?" Blackstone stood on the blanket.

She handed the binoculars to her brother.

Griffin's face twisted into a grin as he walked.

Kyle ran from the other side. Petunia clutched a small boy and ran up from behind.

Florence clutched a bag and a laser gun. She seemed to have her weapon aimed at Griffin, and they plodded closer and closer.

"Is Griffin dying?" Wendy asked. "He looks like a living doll."

"There is still time. I don't think Queen Izz fully understands what she is doing," Kyle said. "He needs something to eat now!"

Blackstone poured him hot chocolate and gave him chips to eat.

Griffin devoured the food.

The boy cried for food and shifted into a cat. Griffin took the boy from Petunia and fed him.

His son became humanoid again.

"His abilities came in a couple of weeks ago," Kyle said.

Griffin's smile twisted around his face until it appeared almost normal. "The boy looks a little like me. Why?"

"Whose kid is that?" Wendy asked Petunia.

"Queen Izz had Griffin's child," Florence said.

"So, now you're kidnapping children," Wendy snapped at Petunia.

"I didn't, and I wouldn't do that to Griffin or my friends." Petunia kept her distance.

"Well, what about me?" Blackstone asked.

Tears fell from her eyes. "We were not friends, not really. And I'm sorry because we were at one time, and it's all my fault. You warned me about Victor, and I didn't listen. I was a terrible aunt."

"I believe you are sorry." Blackstone hugged her.

She hugged him back. "I need to go to prison and suffer. It's all my fault. I should've sided with you."

"She's here," Florence yelled out. "The queen is here."

"All I did was trick Griffin into running to the beach. He's my little puppet." Queen Izz said from the sky. "Our son possesses no magic. The boy is not special like Alva, but he doesn't need to be. I can use his body to bring back my favorite son. But the innkeeper protected him." She reached down and tried to grab the boy.

"Kyle did the right thing." Florence fired her laser gun into the sky.

"The only right thing is you giving me Alva back." Queen Izz reached down. Laser burn marks covered her arm. "I really didn't want to hurt your body because I needed it to take over."

The sky queen attempted to choke Florence but lost her grip when Florence fired into her repeatedly.

Alva spoke from the book. "You could have killed your child, and for what? I had free will."

Queen Izz screamed back. "But I don't care about the boy, only you. You're my son, despite what the law says. I raised you and gave you to Victor. He ruined my perfect boy."

"I knew he was evil and chose to corrupt Petunia. It's time to move on," Alva said. "The boy will be your legacy."

"I don't want a legacy." Light struck the book, but it did not twist or burn. "How do you want to punish Petunia for moving on with her old boyfriend?" Queen Izz asked.

Alva spoke from the book. "She should've been with him in the first place. She didn't have a choice. The old me would've killed Kyle, but I want her to be happy. I killed people and pretended I chose her over the world when all I did was control her."

"I'm actually okay with prison or being a servant." Petunia's eyes widened. "But you can take me. I'll sacrifice myself for Alva. Just don't hurt the boy."

"I hate your face," Izz said bitterly.

"It's not happening," Alva said. "I say no! I lost my chances! Mother, we need to leave. The world will heal with us gone."

Queen Izz wept. "I didn't make this sacrifice to not win. The world would have been better if everyone froze! I was going to take Wendy's body, and you can have the boy's."

She fired a small green light into Griffin, and his face twisted again. Blackstone fed him again.

"I'll fight." Florence fired into the sky.

Queen Izz screamed. The air grew warmer.

Florence screamed at her. "Honey, the curse is over, and you're not needed anymore! I don't want to hurt you."

Alva spoke. "Florence is right. She can kill you because death magic protection spells don't work for self-defense or someone trying to kill an innocent. You did this to yourself. I want you to live."

"I'm already dying. Why do you think I need Florence's body?" Queen Izz giggled to herself.

"If you bring me back, I'll be evil again," Alva whispered. "There is no second chance for me, and you must give up our powers and come with me. Your use of death magic will bring back the curse. Mother, we lost."

Queen Izz tried to strike Griffin's son with her light, but Florence grabbed him out of the way. She fired into her.

"Why can't I stop a person who isn't chosen or special?" Queen Izz asked.

Florence spoke. "I will stop the curse if I have to, but I don't want to kill you."

"Mother, come with me, please," Alva said. "If you die attacking the boy, you'll go to an even lower level than me, and we'll never be a family again."

"We lost. I lost too much, but I'll go with you because I can't beat her. Why can't I win?" Queen Izz's voice disappeared into the mist and clouds.

She was gone, and the book disappeared.

"What do you want to do with me?" Petunia asked Blackstone. "I deserve to die."

He motioned for her to join the picnic. "And I'll agree for you to go under house arrest at the inn after six months in a rehabilitation camp and make restitution to shop owners. That is, if everyone else agrees," Blackstone said. "The elders will back this, and I'm not out for every drop of blood."

"But after everything, I need a more violent punishment. The torture I went through being frozen wasn't enough." Petunia trembled.

Florence tucked her weapon away. "I saw too much bloodshed in the war. And I know Victor killed your mother and grandmother. It's not a slap on the wrist."

"I hated my grandmother, but I loved my mother," Petunia whispered.

"What will I do with my son?" Griffin asked Florence. "I'm still struggling with everything I did."

Wendy stepped forward. "I'll be there to help your son." She turned to Florence and her brother. "Go on with your adventures."

"We don't need to go anywhere now that you're safe. And we'll help." Blackstone patted Griffin's back.

They all sat down for their picnic and talked about the future, the past, forgiveness, and love. The world wasn't perfect, but at least they tried.

Griffin's hand rested over Wendy's, and for the first time, she didn't pull away.